Pandora was the first female created by the Greek gods. Zeus, the king of the gods, commissioned the blacksmith Hephaestus, God of Fire to create a female human form out of earth and water and make her look as beautiful as the gods.
All the Olympian gods contributed to the creation of their appearance and personality, both in positive and negative ways. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, blessed her with beauty and grace, but on the other hand, there was Apollo, the god of music, who sowed lies in Pandora’s soul.
Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, with the help of the Graces, adorned her with golden jewels, but Hermes, God of All Trades, made her shameless, while Hera, the wife of Zeus, blessed Pandora with extreme curiosity. Because of the many gifts she received, the woman got the name Pandora, the “all-gifted one.”
After her completion, Pandora received a jar that was not to be touched by the gods – but Pandora was curious and eager personality and could not resist opening the lid. Once the jar was opened, all the evil spirits came out, such as pain, hunger, or greed.
As soon as Pandora noticed the damage, she quickly put back the lid and thus, fortunately, prevented the remaining hope (“Elpis”) from escaping from the vessel. From that moment on, a man experiences times of evil in life but can always count on Hope as his constant comfort.
Featured Image Credit: James Barry, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
