Pandora

Zeus got mad at the mortals because they learned the use of fire, and he wanted to punish them.  He sent to earth a beautiful but silly woman.  Her name was Pandora.

Pandora was modeled by Hephaestus and Aphrodite.  Hephaestus carved her out of a block of white marble, made her lips out of red rubies and her eyes out of sparkling sapphires.  Athena gave her clothing, jewelry, and a great smile.  Zeus put curiosity on her and gave her a sealed box and warned her not to open it.

Hermes brought Pandora down to earth to marry Epimetheus.  Epimetheus was warned by Prometheus  never to accept a gift from Zeus, but he could never deny a beautiful woman.  When Pandora was living among mortals, everybody was amazed by her beauty.  Men came near just to see her beautiful smile.

Pandora was not happy because she did not know what was in the box that Zeus had given her.  It was not long before she opened it, just to take a quick peek.  The moment she opened the lid, bad things came out: Vanity, Greed, Envy, and all the evils that hadn't been known to mankind.  Horrified at what she had done, she closed the lid just in time to keep Hope from flying away.

All these bad things started biting people, and the people started killing each other.  And that's how vanity, greed, jealousy, stealing, killing, spying, and lying came to be known to mankind.

Source Book: Daulaire's Book of Greek Myths

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