Which goddess gave Pandora beauty in Hesiod’s Pandora’s Box story?

In Hesiod’s Pandora’s Box story, Aphrodite gives Pandora beauty. The goddess of love is one of several divine figures who contribute qualities to Pandora before she is sent among humans.

Hesiod presents Pandora as a constructed figure whose attributes come from the gods. Athena supplies craft-related abilities, while Aphrodite’s contribution connects Pandora with physical attractiveness and erotic appeal. Hermes also plays a role in shaping her speech and character.

This detail matters because Pandora’s creation is described as a coordinated divine act. Zeus does not simply make a woman with one command and provide every quality himself. Instead, the myth explains her name, appearance, skills, and behavior through contributions from different gods.

Modern retellings sometimes reduce the episode to “Pandora was made beautiful by Zeus.” That version misses the division of roles in Hesiod. Zeus initiates the plan, but Aphrodite is the deity specifically associated with giving Pandora beauty.