Greek and Roman Myths

Table of contents

Pandora's Box

    When Prometheus was in charge of making the animals of the world, he had a certain amount of clay to make them with. When he had used almost all the clay he had birds, snakes,fish, whales, mice, dogs, cats, lions, monkeys, and more. He had a little clay left so he thought and thought and thought. He decided to make man. He wanted to make man the replica of the gods so he made arms, legs, and feet. He made eyes, hands, fingers, and hair. Then when he thought it was all done he breathed the breath of life in to man. He decided that man needed a name instead of just man. He needed a name that pronounced him great. The name was Epimetheus. Prometheus said that Epimetheus needed a weapon. Prometheus decided that fire should be that weapon, but the only fire came from Apollo's carriage. So, when Apollo was passing by, Prometheus took a branch and lit it with Apollo's fire. When Zeus found out, he was furious for that was steeling. Prometheus was sentenced to be chained to a mountain and every year an eagle went by and ripped the heart out of him. Since he was an immortal god the heart would grow back just to be ripped out the next year.

    The gods needed to punish Epimetheus too, so they made woman. Pandora, the first woman, was fashioned by the Olympians. Before her there weren't any woman. Zeus bade Hephaestus to mix earth with water and to put in it a human voice. So Hephaestus fashioned a sweet, lovely woman, with the face of a goddess. Athena taught her needlework and the weaving of webs. Aphrodite shed grace upon her head and Hermes put in her speech, a shameless mind and a deceitful nature. So when Hephaestus had molded the clay in the likeness of a maid, Athena clothed her and provided her with fine manners. Then Charities and Peitho put necklaces of gold upon her and Horae crowned her head with flowers. They called this woman Pandora, because each of the Olympians gave a gift. Pandora was also given a box. She was told never to open it, but to give it to Epimetheus.

    Prometheus had told his brother Epimetheus never to take a gift from Zeus. Until that time men lived free from ills, toil and sicknesses, in the box contained all kinds of evils.         When Epimetheus saw Pandora he thought she was the most beautiful being in the world. He asked her to be his wife she gladly said yes.

    One day when Epimetheus was out to find food Pandora was at home sewing. She was looking at the box, for Epimetheus had never opened it. She kept sewing and staring and sewing and staring. Finally she decided to open the box a small bit. All of the bad perils forced their way and flew out. She ran to get Epimetheus. When they came back he quickly closed the lid, trapping one thing in. The both decided that they should let the last one out. Hope gently floated out of the box.