In Hesiod’s account, Hermes gave Pandora the ability to speak.
Hesiod’s creation story presents Pandora as a figure assembled and equipped by several gods at Zeus’s command. Different deities contribute attributes, including beauty, skill, clothing, and mental or verbal qualities. Hermes, the messenger of the gods, is associated with giving her speech and with traits involving persuasion and deception.
This detail comes from the myth’s broader catalogue of divine contributions rather than from the later simplified version in which Pandora is merely given a mysterious container. Modern retellings often shorten the story and omit the individual roles of the gods.
Hermes is sometimes confused here with Hephaestus, who is associated with making or shaping Pandora’s body in many summaries. The two gods have different roles in the account: Hephaestus is the craftsman, while Hermes supplies speech and related qualities.