Pandoras box myths, legends and theories. Zeus and Prometheus

Everyone has heard about Pandora’s box. This legend is wrapped in mystery and many questions. The legend of Pandora's box comes from ancient Greek mythology and more precisely from the poet Hesiod. It’s something like the Greek version of the story of Adam and Eve.

It all began with Prometheus, who, as we all know, gave fire to man. Then Zeus, the greatest of the gods, became really angry and punished Prometheus severely. But this was not enough. He also wanted to punish humans, who, after receiving the fire, didn’t need the gods as before, and no longer respected them so much. So Zeus decided to punish them by creating the woman who humans had never known before. He ordered the gods, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Athena, Hera and Hermes, to give their best and create the most perfect woman in the world - one that would be very beautiful but also cunning and curious. They obeyed his order and created Pandora from clay.

Zeus then gave her as a wife to Prometheus's brother Epimetheus, and as a wedding gift he left for them a jar, the one we now know as the Pandora’s box. Zeus warned them not to open the box at any cost but he didn’t tell them that inside were hidden all the evils in the world. Pandora was very curious and she opened the box. Then all the evils were unleashed upon the world, and people, who knew only happiness until then, now knew sickness and suffering, and also hate, envy and all the flaws of human nature. The only thing left in the box was Hope. Pandora managed to close the box before it escaped, so that people had at least hope to help them in their suffering.