Pandora’s Hope

This is the piece that inspired all the other mythology works I have created. Pandora is the ancient Greeks’ answer to the Biblical Eve. Grecian mythology credits the creation of man not to the gods, but to two of the titans (a race that predated the gods and were overthrown by their godly offspring). Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus sided with the gods in their conflict against the Titans. They were then tasked with the creation of man and beasts.

Pandora was created by the gods as revenge on Prometheus for stealing fire for mankind (never mind the poor fellow had already been staked out to have an eagle eat his liver every day for all eternity). Zeus was still feeling slighted and commanded Hephaestus to create a beautiful woman and gave her as a bride to Epimetheus. The vengeful god also gave Pandora a gift but told her not to open it. After her marriage to Epimetheus Pandora was overcome with curiosity and opened the box. Out flew all the evils of the world; famine, drought, war, death, and many more. But at the very bottom of the jar was hope.

This is the first version of the myth of Pandora I learned. It is based on Hesiod’s writings, which are the first to mention Pandora’s role as a harbinger of evil. Modern interpretations soften Hesiod’s depiction of Pandora. Originally he described Pandora herself as the source of all evil in the world (not a big fan of women Hesiod).

The thing is, Pandora was created to unleash evil. Hope was not a gift the gods intended to give humanity. Blaming women for the ills of the world is common in mythology. For me, this myth is interesting because it’s really about two females, Pandora and Elpis, the spirit of hope. The focus on Pandora’s gift, box, jar, whichever version of the myth you read, is always on the evil unleashed. Pandora also freed Elpis. She gave the ancient Greeks Hope. That’s what makes this myth so interesting to me.