Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans before Pandora was created.
Prometheus is a Titan in Greek mythology known for his intelligence and his special concern for humanity. In the tradition recorded by Hesiod, he took fire from the gods and provided it to humans. Fire represented practical knowledge, technology, cooking, craft, and the ability to transform the human condition.
Zeus punished Prometheus for the theft and also planned a punishment for humanity. That wider punishment led to the creation and arrival of Pandora. The two myths are therefore closely linked in Hesiod’s account: Prometheus’s defiance explains Zeus’s anger, while Pandora’s story explains the spread of human suffering.
Different ancient authors tell Prometheus’s story with varying details. Aeschylus’s tragedy Prometheus Bound gives the figure an especially heroic and beneficent role, though the play’s authorship and date have been debated. Modern culture often treats Prometheus as a symbol of innovation, while the Pandora story emphasizes the consequences of conflict between gods and humans.