The Myth of Pandora

The story of Pandora's Box is classed as a myth, "a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people … typically involving supernatural beings or events; a widely held but false belief or idea." However, the story of Pandora's box is more accurately defined as an allegory: "a story that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one; a symbol."

Edna Lister frequently referred to the myths as "the stories of the great and often guilty descended creator gods" of antiquity. She insisted a myth was based on some fact that passed down through tradition, became a campfire tale, a legend, and finally a myth, implying that the story was more than merely a fabulous tale, told to amuse. The myths are largely moral and ethical in nature. A typical myth relates the story of some human choice, usually foolish, and the results thereof in terms of the spiritual debt incurred.

The myth of Pandora's Box is a moral tale illuminating a mystery of the soul. We need some background to understand why Pandora, who was the first mythical human woman, was created. Hesiod tells Pandora's tale in his Theogony, which describes the origins of the gods.

Names properly describe what a thing, whether a person or an object, really is. The name Zeus, for example is rooted in the Proto-Indo-European Dyeus, meaning "day sky" or "shining." Two of his many cousins play important roles in Pandora's myth, Prometheus, whose name means "forethought," and Epimetheus, whose name means "afterthought."

Pandora's name means "all gifts," for she was endowed with all the celestial gifts the gods could think to give her. Yet, the most outstanding fact of Pandora's existence is that she was created as the tool or weapon of divine vengeance. Prometheus had stolen fire, which was a sacred mystery of the gods. Zeus ordered Hephaestos to create Pandora to avenge himself for the thwarting of his will.

Pandora received a jar, not a box. A Greek ἀμφορεύς (amphoreús = amphora) was a tall jar with handles, generally used to measure transport or store valuable commodities, such as wine or olive oil, and sometimes for dry foodstuffs, including grain.

– Linda Mihalic, Via Christa site editor

Pandora and the Jar

[42] For the gods keep hidden from men the means of life. Else you would easily do work enough in a day to supply you for a full year even without working; soon would you put away your rudder over the smoke, and the fields worked by ox and sturdy mule would run to waste. But Zeus in the anger of his heart hid it, because Prometheus [forethought, the father of mankind] the crafty deceived him; therefore he planned sorrow and mischief against men. He hid fire; but that the noble son of Iapetus stole again for men from Zeus the counsellor in a hollow fennel-stalk, so that Zeus who delights in thunder did not see it. But afterwards Zeus who gathers the clouds said to him in anger:

[54] "Son of Iapetus, surpassing all in cunning, you are glad that you have outwitted me and stolen fire – a great plague to you yourself and to men that shall be. But I will give men as the price for fire an evil thing in which they may all be glad of heart while they embrace their own destruction."

[60] So said the father of men and gods, and laughed aloud. And he bade famous Hephaestus make haste and mix earth with water and to put in it the voice and strength of human kind, and fashion a sweet, lovely maiden-shape, like to the immortal goddesses in face; and Athene to teach her needlework and the weaving of the varied web; and golden Aphrodite to shed grace upon her head and cruel longing and cares that weary the limbs. And he charged Hermes the guide, the Slayer of Argus, to put in her a shameless mind and a deceitful nature.

[69] So he ordered. And they obeyed the lord Zeus the son of Cronos. Forthwith the famous Lame God [Hephaestus] moulded clay in the likeness of a modest maid, as the son of Cronos purposed. And the goddess bright-eyed Athene girded and clothed her, and the divine Graces and queenly Persuasion put necklaces of gold upon her, and the rich-haired Hours crowned her head with spring flowers. And Pallas Athene bedecked her form with all manners of finery. Also the Guide [Hermes], the Slayer of Argus, contrived within her lies and crafty words and a deceitful nature at the will of loud thundering Zeus, and the Herald of the gods put speech in her. And he called this woman Pandora (All Endowed) [with all gifts], because all they who dwelt on Olympus gave each a gift, a plague to men who eat bread.

[83] But when he had finished the sheer, hopeless snare, the Father sent glorious Argus-Slayer, the swift messenger of the gods, to take it to Epimetheus [afterthought] as a gift. And Epimetheus did not think on what Prometheus had said to him, bidding him never take a gift of Olympian Zeus, but to send it back for fear it might prove to be something harmful to men. But he took the gift, and afterwards, when the evil thing was already his, he understood [thus, Epimetheus personifies afterthought].

[90] For ere this the tribes of men lived on earth remote and free from ills and hard toil and heavy sickness which bring the Fates upon men; for in misery men grow old quickly. But the woman took off the great lid of the jar with her hands and scattered all these and her thought caused sorrow and mischief to men. Only Hope remained there in an unbreakable home within under the rim of the great jar, and did not fly out at the door; for ere that, the lid of the jar stopped her, by the will of Aegis-holding Zeus who gathers the clouds. But the rest, countless plagues, wander amongst men; for earth is full of evils and the sea is full. Of themselves diseases come upon men continually by day and by night, bringing mischief to mortals silently; for wise Zeus took away speech from them. So is there no way to escape the will of Zeus.

Also the Guide [Hermes], the Slayer of Argus, contrived within her lies and crafty words and a deceitful nature at the will of loud thundering Zeus.

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