Hesiod wrote both Theogony and Works and Days, the two earliest major sources for Pandora’s myth.
Hesiod was an archaic Greek poet traditionally dated to around the late eighth or early seventh century BCE. Theogony describes the origins and genealogy of the gods, while Works and Days combines farming advice, moral instruction, and mythic narratives. Together they preserve the earliest substantial literary accounts of Pandora.
The two poems do not tell exactly the same version. Theogony gives a shorter account connected with the punishment of humanity, while Works and Days develops the creation of Pandora, her arrival at Epimetheus’s home, and the opening of the container. Modern summaries often merge details from both texts.
Hesiod is sometimes confused with Homer because both are foundational Greek poets associated with the archaic period. Homer is linked primarily with the Iliad and Odyssey. Hesiod’s work is especially important for understanding Greek divine genealogy, agricultural ethics, and the mythic explanation of human suffering.