In Hesiod’s account, Hermes gave Pandora her deceptive nature and speech.
After Hephaestus fashions Pandora, the gods contribute qualities that make her attractive and dangerous. Hermes, the messenger of the gods, is associated in the story with a deceptive mind and a lying tongue. His contribution helps explain Pandora’s role as a deliberately constructed instrument of Zeus’s punishment.
Pandora’s characterization is not simply that of a curious woman acting independently. In Works and Days, the gods collectively equip her, and Zeus sends her to Epimetheus. The narrative uses divine gifts to connect outward beauty with hidden danger, a recurring theme in ancient Greek myth.
Hermes is sometimes confused with Hephaestus because both take part in Pandora’s creation story. Hephaestus physically fashions her, while Hermes supplies particular mental and verbal qualities. Athena and Aphrodite also contribute different attributes.