According to Hesiod, Hermes gave Pandora deceptive speech. Hermes was the messenger of the gods and a deity associated with cleverness, persuasion, trade, travel, and trickery.
In the creation story, Zeus directs several gods to give Pandora distinct qualities. Hermes contributes a mind or manner associated with deception, and he is also the god who leads Pandora to Epimetheus in the broader mythic narrative. This contribution helps explain why Pandora is presented as both attractive and potentially dangerous.
The exact English wording differs across translations of Hesiod’s Greek. Some versions describe “a shameless mind and a deceitful nature,” while others emphasize lies, words, or a misleading character. The stable identification is Hermes as the divine contributor associated with deceptive speech.
Hermes is not the same figure as Prometheus, who is linked with foresight and the theft of fire. Their roles belong to different parts of the Pandora myth and should not be merged.