In Greek mythology, Pandora (whose name means “all gifts”) was the first woman, created by Zeus to punish mortal* men and their helper, Prometheus. According to legend, only the gods knew the secret of fire, and they kept that secret hidden from the human race. Prometheus, however, tricked Zeus and brought the secret of fire to mortals.
Enraged by Prometheus’s treachery, Zeus ordered Hephaestus, blacksmith of the gods, to create a woman out of clay. Athena gave Pandora life; Aphrodite made her irresistible to men; and Hermes taught her cunning and trickery. The gods then gave Pandora a sealed jar containing all the evils that would eventually befall human beings. The only good thing inside the box was Hope, buried at the very bottom. Pandora was then given as a bride to Prometheus’s foolish brother, Epimetheus. (The literal meaning of the name Prometheus is “forethought,” and the meaning of Epimetheus is “afterthought.”) Although he had been warned by Prometheus never to accept a gift from Zeus, Epimetheus accepted Pandora as his wife.
Once settled among the mortals, Pandora was overcome by her curiosity regarding the contents of the jar. She opened it and unintentionally released all the evils it contained—War, Disease, Suffering, Sorrow, and so on—into the world. She put the lid back on as quickly as she could, but it was too late. Only Hope remained, trapped inside and crying to be let out in order to relieve the world of the evils that had escaped. Until this time, mortals had lived a life free from work and worry. Now they had to labor and suffer to earn a living.
In a variation of the tale, the jar actually belonged to Prometheus, and it contained all the good gifts that he had won for mortals and was keeping in storage for them. Pandora found the jar and, driven by curiosity, opened it. In doing so, she released all the gifts, which flew away and were forever lost. Only Hope, slower than the rest, remained inside.
* mortal human being; one who eventually will die
The expression “opening Pandora’s box” has become a warning that curiosity can lead to trouble and misfortune. (See also Divinities; Fables; Myths, Greek.)