Pandora, << pan DAWR uh, >> in Greek mythology, was the first woman. Zeus, the king of the gods, ordered Pandora created as a punishment for men. Zeus was angry because men had received fire stolen from the gods by Prometheus (see Prometheus). Zeus ordered Hephaestus, the blacksmith of the gods, to create Pandora. The gods and goddesses then adorned her with many gifts to make her alluring. The name Pandora means all gifts in Greek.
Zeus gave Pandora to Prometheus’ brother Epimetheus. In spite of Prometheus’ warnings, Epimetheus gave her to men. Pandora’s curiosity led her to open a jar, and all types of evil, including disease and hard labor, escaped to plague humanity. Only Hope did not escape from the jar. Ancient Greek sources are vague about the origin of the jar.
Many writers have noted the resemblance between Pandora and Eve in the Bible. In 1508, the Dutch author Desiderius Erasmus first used the image “Pandora’s box” instead of the traditional jar or vase. Pandora’s box has come to symbolize any object or situation that has a great potential for evil.
