Prometheus and Pandora

LongagoonGreecesrockyshores,allmenlivedhealthyandwithouthardtoilorheavy
sickness.Theynevergotacoldortheflu,neverhadtoworkveryhardfortheirfood,andspent
alldayloungingaround,doingguythingslikeplayingtricksoneachotherandthegods.They
hadplentyoftimetomesswiththegodsandtormentthem,whichusuallyresultedinawarof
revenge.Inoneepisode,Zeus,intheangerofhisheart,hidfirefrommen,becausePrometheus
thecraftyTitandeceivedhimtogeteven,Zeusplannedsorrowandmischiefagainstmen.He
hidfirebutsneakyPrometheusstoleitbackagainformeninahollow
fennelstalksothatZeuswhodelightsinthunderdidnotseeit.
Butafterwards,whenZeusdiscoveredthatmenhadfireagaintocook
theirmeatandwarmtheircoldfeet,herespondedinanger,Cunning
Prometheus,youaregladthatyouhaveoutwittedmeandstolenfireIwillpay
youbackwithagreatplaguetoyouandtomen.Andthisplaguewillbetricky
itwillmakemenhappywhileitdestroysthemandtheirproductivity.Zeus
laughedaloudashehatchedtheevilplan.
Hephaestus,Zeussummoned,Ihaveajobforyou.Makehasteand
mixearthwithwater.Putinitthevoiceandstrengthofhumankind,andfashionasweet,lovely
maidenshape,wholookslikethestunningimmortalgoddesses.
Hephaestuswenttowork,makingthisnewcreationandgettinghelpfromallofthe
Olympicgodsandgoddesses.Hewasexcitedtohavethehonorofcraftingthefirstwoman.He
moldedtheclayintothelikenessofamodestmaid,justlikeZeusordered.Athenetaughther
gorgeousneedleworkandtheweavingofthevariedweb.GoldenAphroditeshedgraceuponher
headandcruellongingandcaresthatwearythelimbs.AndZeusconvincedHermestheguideto
putinherashamelessmindandadeceitfulnature.
Tomakeherbeautifulontheoutside,brighteyedAtheneclothedherwithallkindsof
fashionabledresses,thedivineGracesandqueenlyPersuasionputnecklacesofgolduponher,
andtherichhairedHourscrownedherheadwithspringflowers.Theladygoddesseswanted
hertolookasdesirableaspossible.
Themengods,ontheotherhand,haddifferentintentionswhichwouldhauntthemortals
forever.ZeusdemandedthatHermesplantwithinherlies,craftywords,curiosityandadeceitful
nature,andHermesalsogaveherspeechandavoiceaslovelyashercharm.Andhecalled
thiswomanPandora,becauseeachwholivedonOlympusgaveagift,aplaguetoallmenwho

eatbread.
WhenHephaestushadfinishedmakingthegorgeous,hopelesssnare,hepresentedher
toZeus.Welldone,Hephastus,Zeuscomplimented.Sheisaknockout!Zeusthought.She
willsurelybeadistractiontothosemendownbelow.Finally,Iwillgetevenwiththemonceand
forall!
ZeusaskedHermestotakePandoratoEpimetheusasagift.WhenHermesarrived
withthislovelygift,foolishEpimetheusforgottheadvicehisbrotherhadgivenhimlongago.
PrometheushadtoldhimtonevertakeagiftfromOlympianZeus,buttosenditbackforfearit
mightprovetobesomethingharmfultomen.Thecautionarywordsdidntevenechoinhishead
hetookthegorgeousgift,gladtohavesuchabeautifulcreatureashisownandanxioustoshow
herofftoalltheguys.
AfterafewdaysofwatchingEpimetheusenjoyhisnewgift,Zeusgatheredtogetherall
thesickness,hatred,andmiseryandpackedalargejarfullofitasaweddinggifttothenew
couple.Asanextrameasure,healsoaddedahintofhope.HegavethejartoPandorawhen
Epimetheuswasnotaround.Thatafternoon,whenEpimetheusandPrometheuscamehome,
Prometheuslearnedofthistemptinggift.Headvisedhisbrothertotellhisnewwifetonever
openthejar,suspectingacrueltrickwhenhelearnedthatZeushadgiventhemthegift.He
neverimaginedthatZeuswouldbesowickedastopackageaharmfulgiftinalovelycontainer,
buthedidntwantanyonetotakeanychancesbyopeningthejar.
Epimetheustoldhisnewwifetoguardthejarandneveropenit.
Hecautionedheragainsttheconsequencesthatmightresult,guessing
thatthisjarwouldbemoredangerousthaneventhegiftofthewoman.
ItdidnttakelongforEpimetheustojourneyawayforashort
time,headingofftomischiefwithhisbrother.WhilePandorawaitedfor
herhusbandtoreturn,sheglancedrepeatedlyatthejar,sittinginthe
cornerofherroom.Sheknewwhatherhusbandhadtoldher,butshe
alsoknewshehadbeencreatedbythegods,justlikethegiftofthejar.
Howwickedcoulditbe?shethoughttoherself.

Afterhoursofwaiting,herintriguegotthebestofherthecuriositythatthegodshad
planteddeepinsideherbubbledtothesurface.Shetookoffthegreatlidofthejarwithher
handsandscatteredthecontentsalloverherroom.Sicknessanddiseaseandhatredflewout,
escapingintotheworld.OnlyHoperemainedthereinanunbreakablehomeundertherimofthe
greatjar.
EpimetheusandPrometheusreturnedthatday,runningtolearnwhathadhappened.
WhentheysawPandoraclingingtothejarwiththelidstillintact,tearsrunningdownherbeautiful
cheeks,theyknewsomethingterriblehadhappened.Itoldyou,Epimetheusaccusedhiswife,
baffledbyhisownfoolishnessandcarelessness.
Nowcountlessplagueswanderamongmennowearthisfullofevilsandtheseais
brimmingwithhorrors.Diseasescomeuponmencontinuallybydayandbynight,bringing
mischieftomortalssilently.Mentoilandworkthelandtogainwhattheyneedtolive.Zeus
revengewasperfectandlasting,afinaljabatfoolishandclevermenalike.Butdespiteallofthis,
humansstillhavehopetoclingto.Alltheevilintheworldcantovershadowthathope.
fromHesiodsWorksandDays(http://www.sacredtexts.com/cla/hesiod/works.htm)
adaptedbyMrs.Haberling