Britannica Sources used in this answer

How does the story of Pandora differ between Hesiod's Theogony and Works and Days?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

In the works of the Greek poet Hesiod, the story of Pandora serves to illustrate the power of Zeus and the origins of human suffering, though the two epics focus on different aspects of her narrative:

  • Theogony: This work introduces Pandora as the first woman, fashioned by Hephaestus at the command of Zeus. Her creation is presented as a direct response to Prometheus stealing fire for mortals; she is intended by Zeus to be a "beautiful evil" to bedevil humanity.12
  • Works and Days: This poem expands on the narrative by detailing the consequences of Pandora’s arrival. She is sent to Epimetheus, who ignores his brother Prometheus’s warnings and marries her. In this account, Pandora carries a jar containing all manner of evils, diseases, and hard work. When she opens the lid, these miseries are released upon the earth. Notably, only "Hope" remains trapped inside the vessel when the lid is shut.132

While Theogony establishes her role as a divine instrument of retribution, Works and Days focuses on the specific mechanism—the jar—by which human life became burdened with suffering.12