Pandora's curiosity gets her into trouble when she opens a mysterious box given to her by Zeus as a wedding gift. Inside the box are all the evils of the world like disease, poverty, misery and death that fly out in the form of buzzing moths. Only hope remains at the bottom of the empty box. The myth explains the origins of evil and suffering in the world as resulting from Pandora's decision to open the forbidden box due to her innate female curiosity, despite warnings. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of giving into one's curiosity.

1. Pandora’s
Box
MithsMiths
andand
LegendsLegends

2. Has your curiosity ever gotHas your curiosity ever got
you into trouble?you into trouble?
Have you ever been soHave you ever been so
desperate to know adesperate to know a
secret that you took nosecret that you took no
notice of a warning?notice of a warning?

3. All through history thereAll through history there
are stories of peopleare stories of people
being told not to openbeing told not to open
doors, caskets,doors, caskets,
cupboards, gates andcupboards, gates and
all sorts of other thingsall sorts of other things
and, in so many of theand, in so many of the
stories, the people juststories, the people just
did not listen. Onedid not listen. One
person who did notperson who did not
listen was Pandora.listen was Pandora.
Her story comes fromHer story comes from
Ancient Greece and herAncient Greece and her
curiosity brought acuriosity brought a
whole heap of trouble!whole heap of trouble!

4. In ancient Greece there wereIn ancient Greece there were
two brothers namedtwo brothers named
Epimetheus and Prometheus.Epimetheus and Prometheus.
They upset the gods andThey upset the gods and
annoyed the most powerful ofannoyed the most powerful of
all Gods, Zeus, in particular.all Gods, Zeus, in particular.
This was not the first timeThis was not the first time
humans had upset Zeus, andhumans had upset Zeus, and
once before, as punishment,once before, as punishment,
he had taken from humanshe had taken from humans
the ability to make fire. Thisthe ability to make fire. This
meant they could no longermeant they could no longer
cook their meat and could notcook their meat and could not
keep themselves warm.keep themselves warm.

5. However, PrometheusHowever, Prometheus
was clever and hewas clever and he
knew that, on the Isleknew that, on the Isle
of Lemnos, livedof Lemnos, lived
Hephaestos, theHephaestos, the
blacksmith. He had ablacksmith. He had a
fire burning to keep hisfire burning to keep his
forge hot. Prometheusforge hot. Prometheus
travelled to Lemnostravelled to Lemnos
and stole fire from theand stole fire from the
blacksmith.blacksmith.
Zeus was furious and decided that humans had toZeus was furious and decided that humans had to
be punished once and for all for their lack ofbe punished once and for all for their lack of
respect.respect.

6. Zeus came up with aZeus came up with a
very cunning plan tovery cunning plan to
punish the twopunish the two
brothers. With thebrothers. With the
help of Hephaestos,help of Hephaestos,
he created a womanhe created a woman
from clay. Thefrom clay. The
goddess Athenegoddess Athene
then breathed lifethen breathed life
into the clay,into the clay,
Aphrodite madeAphrodite made
her very beautiful and Hermes taught her howher very beautiful and Hermes taught her how
to be both charming and deceitful. Zeus calledto be both charming and deceitful. Zeus called
her Pandora and sent her as a gift toher Pandora and sent her as a gift to
Epimetheus.Epimetheus.

7. His brotherHis brother
Prometheus hadPrometheus had
warned him not towarned him not to
accept any giftsaccept any gifts
from the gods butfrom the gods but
Epimetheus wasEpimetheus was
completely charmedcompletely charmed
by the woman andby the woman and
thought Pandorathought Pandora
was so beautiful thatwas so beautiful that
she could nevershe could never
cause any harm, socause any harm, so
he agreed to marryhe agreed to marry
her.her.

8. Zeus, pleased that hisZeus, pleased that his
trap was working, gavetrap was working, gave
Pandora a wedding giftPandora a wedding gift
of a beautiful box. Thereof a beautiful box. There
was one very, verywas one very, very
important conditionimportant condition
however, that she musthowever, that she must
never opened the box.never opened the box.
Pandora was veryPandora was very
curious about thecurious about the
contents of the box butcontents of the box but
she had promised thatshe had promised that
she would never open it.she would never open it.

9. All she could think aboutAll she could think about
was; what could be in thewas; what could be in the
box? She could notbox? She could not
understand why someoneunderstand why someone
would send her a box ifwould send her a box if
she could not see whatshe could not see what
was in it. It seemed towas in it. It seemed to
make no sense at all tomake no sense at all to
her and she could think ofher and she could think of
nothing else but ofnothing else but of
opening the box andopening the box and
unlocking its secrets. Thisunlocking its secrets. This
was just what Zeus hadwas just what Zeus had
planned.planned.

10. Finally, Pandora could standFinally, Pandora could stand
it no longer. When she knewit no longer. When she knew
Epimetheus was out ofEpimetheus was out of
sight, she crept up to thesight, she crept up to the
box, took the huge key offbox, took the huge key off
the high shelf, fitted itthe high shelf, fitted it
carefully into the lock andcarefully into the lock and
turned it.turned it.
But, at the last moment, she felt a pang of guilt,But, at the last moment, she felt a pang of guilt,
imagined how angry her husband would be andimagined how angry her husband would be and
quickly locked the box again without opening the lidquickly locked the box again without opening the lid
and put the key back where she had found it. Threeand put the key back where she had found it. Three
more times she did this until, at last, she knew shemore times she did this until, at last, she knew she
had to look inside or she would go completely mad!had to look inside or she would go completely mad!

11. She took the key, slidShe took the key, slid
it into the lock andit into the lock and
turned it. She took aturned it. She took a
deep breath, closeddeep breath, closed
her eyes and slowlyher eyes and slowly
lifted the lid of thelifted the lid of the
box. She opened herbox. She opened her
eyes and looked intoeyes and looked into
the box, expecting tothe box, expecting to
see fine silks, gownssee fine silks, gowns
or gold bracelets andor gold bracelets and
necklaces or evennecklaces or even
piles of gold coins.piles of gold coins.

12. But there was no gleam ofBut there was no gleam of
gold or treasure. There weregold or treasure. There were
no shining bracelets and notno shining bracelets and not
one beautiful dress! Theone beautiful dress! The
look of excitement on herlook of excitement on her
face quickly turned to one offace quickly turned to one of
disappointment and thendisappointment and then
horror. For Zeus had packedhorror. For Zeus had packed
the box full of all the terriblethe box full of all the terrible
evils he could think of. Outevils he could think of. Out
of the box poured diseaseof the box poured disease
and poverty. Out cameand poverty. Out came
misery, out came death, outmisery, out came death, out
came sadness - all shapedcame sadness - all shaped
like tiny buzzing moths.like tiny buzzing moths.

13. The creatures stung PandoraThe creatures stung Pandora
over and over again and sheover and over again and she
slammed the lid shut.slammed the lid shut.
Epimetheus ran into theEpimetheus ran into the
room to see why she wasroom to see why she was
crying in pain. Pandora couldcrying in pain. Pandora could
still hear a voice calling tostill hear a voice calling to
her from the box, pleadingher from the box, pleading
with her to be let out.with her to be let out.
Epimetheus agreed thatEpimetheus agreed that
nothing inside the box couldnothing inside the box could
be worse than the horrorsbe worse than the horrors
that had already beenthat had already been
released, so they opened thereleased, so they opened the
lid once more.lid once more.

14. All that remained inAll that remained in
the box was Hope. Itthe box was Hope. It
fluttered from the boxfluttered from the box
like a beautifullike a beautiful
dragonfly, touchingdragonfly, touching
the wounds createdthe wounds created
by the evil creatures,by the evil creatures,
and healing them.and healing them.
Even though PandoraEven though Pandora
had released pain andhad released pain and
suffering upon thesuffering upon the
world, she had alsoworld, she had also
allowed Hope toallowed Hope to
follow them.follow them.

15. Pandora’s Box –
Origins

16. What typeWhat type
of myth isof myth is
this?this?
People have always wanted to know why thingsPeople have always wanted to know why things
happen in the world the way they do. Before therehappen in the world the way they do. Before there
was much science, they did not have muchwas much science, they did not have much
understanding of how the world works, but they stillunderstanding of how the world works, but they still
wanted to know, just as much as we do. Humanwanted to know, just as much as we do. Human
curiosity always asks why .. and then humancuriosity always asks why .. and then human
creativity finds ways of giving an answer.creativity finds ways of giving an answer.
Pandora’s box is an originPandora’s box is an origin
myth – the attempt tomyth – the attempt to
explain the beginning ofexplain the beginning of
something.something.

17. The story ofThe story of
Pandora and herPandora and her
box comes frombox comes from
Ancient GreeceAncient Greece
and is very old.and is very old.
Because of this,Because of this,
there are severalthere are several
versions of theversions of the
myth.myth.
Are there other versionsAre there other versions
of the story?of the story?

18. In Greek mythology, PandoraIn Greek mythology, Pandora
(meaning ‘all-giving’) was the(meaning ‘all-giving’) was the
first woman on earth. Beforefirst woman on earth. Before
humans there were thehumans there were the
immortals (the Gods andimmortals (the Gods and
Titans). The brothers,Titans). The brothers,
Prometheus and EpimetheusPrometheus and Epimetheus
were Titans (Giant people)were Titans (Giant people)
who had fought on the Gods’who had fought on the Gods’
side in a war.side in a war.
Some say they were cousins of Zeus, king of theSome say they were cousins of Zeus, king of the
gods; he asked Prometheus to create man out ofgods; he asked Prometheus to create man out of
clay and water (in many versions Hephaestus helpsclay and water (in many versions Hephaestus helps
in this).in this).

19. Epimetheus had to create theEpimetheus had to create the
animals and give them theiranimals and give them their
gifts of courage, swiftness etc.gifts of courage, swiftness etc.
He gave out all the gifts andHe gave out all the gifts and
had none left for Man. Sohad none left for Man. So
Prometheus decides to makePrometheus decides to make
man stand upright, like theman stand upright, like the
gods, and give them fire (whichgods, and give them fire (which
Zeus did not want them toZeus did not want them to
have – some say he hadhave – some say he had
removed it as a punishment).removed it as a punishment).
So Prometheus stole fire –So Prometheus stole fire –
some say from Zeus’ lightning,some say from Zeus’ lightning,
others from the sun and yetothers from the sun and yet
others from Hephaestus’ forge.others from Hephaestus’ forge.

20. Most agree that Zeus asked Hephaestus to makeMost agree that Zeus asked Hephaestus to make
Pandora (the first woman) also out of earth andPandora (the first woman) also out of earth and
water, and he intended her to be a punishment.water, and he intended her to be a punishment.
Each god and goddess gave Pandora a giftEach god and goddess gave Pandora a gift
(talent), of beauty, charm, music etc but also(talent), of beauty, charm, music etc but also
others, like curiosity and persuasion – gifts thatothers, like curiosity and persuasion – gifts that
could be used for good or ill.could be used for good or ill.

21. Then Pandora was given aThen Pandora was given a
container – in the original Greekcontainer – in the original Greek
stories it was a jar and did notstories it was a jar and did not
become a box until the Sixteenthbecome a box until the Sixteenth
century AD. A scholar calledcentury AD. A scholar called
Erasmus, who lived in RotterdamErasmus, who lived in Rotterdam
in Holland, translated a story ofin Holland, translated a story of
Pandora from Hesiod’s work.Pandora from Hesiod’s work.
Hesiod was a Greek poet whoHesiod was a Greek poet who
lived about 700BC. Erasmus waslived about 700BC. Erasmus was
translating the Greek into Latin (which scholars didtranslating the Greek into Latin (which scholars did
all their writing in, in those days) and translated theall their writing in, in those days) and translated the
Greek word ‘pithos’ meaning jar into the Latin wordGreek word ‘pithos’ meaning jar into the Latin word
‘pyxis’ meaning box. And a box it has stayed to this‘pyxis’ meaning box. And a box it has stayed to this
day!day!