Mercury is the Roman counterpart of Hermes in the Pandora myth’s Greco-Roman tradition.
Greek myths were frequently retold in Roman literature with Greek deities matched to Roman equivalents. Hermes, messenger of the gods and guide of travelers, corresponds most closely to Mercury, who held similar roles in Roman religion.
This identification matters because Pandora’s story was repeatedly translated, adapted, and illustrated in Latin and later European cultures. Names could change even when the underlying myth remained recognizable. A Roman retelling might therefore refer to Mercury where a Greek account names Hermes.
Pandora herself remains a Greek figure, and the best-known early literary accounts come from Hesiod rather than a Roman poet. The Roman equivalent is useful for understanding classical adaptation, but it does not mean that Mercury created Pandora or owned the vessel in the original Greek story.