P is for Pandora

Pandora was the first human woman, created by the god Hephaestus as punishment for the humans receiving fire from the titan Prometheus.
John William Waterhouse [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Her name means 'all gifted', because each of the gods gave her a gift when she was made. Aphrodite gave her beauty, grace and desire; Hermes gave her a cunning mind and crafty tongue; Athena gave her clothes and taught her to be deft with her hands; Poseidon gave her a pearl necklace which would prevent her from drowning; Apollo taught her to sing and play the lyre; Zeus gave her a foolish, mischievous nature and Hera gave her the gift of curiosity.

She was also given a jar by Zeus, and told not to open it. However, her curious nature got the better of her and she opened the jar, releasing all of the evils of humanity. The last thing that flew out of the jar was hope. 

Comments

  1. Rob Z Tobor18 April 2013 at 12:39

    I have a jar of stuff which needs to be returned to the supermarket, I can inform them it has released all of the evils of humanity, and hope I get a refund.

    Just for a short time I thought we might get a happier ending but it appears not, although that last sentence does leave the possibility slightly ajar . . . . . . . . HA HAHAHH HAh ah ha hah ah hah ahh ah ah ah hahah hah ah haah hahha

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  2. Jackie18 April 2013 at 14:10

    YAY! She's one of my faves in mythology.

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  3. Unknown18 April 2013 at 15:06

    I never knew the full story before; beautiful and fascinating at the same time!

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  4. smug princess18 April 2013 at 15:24

    That's sad. They kind of set her up to fail. =[

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  5. S. L. Hennessy18 April 2013 at 15:31

    This is the Greek equivalent of curiosity killed the cat!

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  6. Mina Burrows18 April 2013 at 15:36

    If all those things that flew out of the jar were evil than how did hope get in there? LOL! Poor Pandora! Another woman taking the blame just like Eve.

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  7. MaryAnn Pope18 April 2013 at 16:35

    I had no idea that Pandora was the first human woman, and she was created as a punishment? Wow, very interesting.

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  8. A Beer for the Shower18 April 2013 at 16:36

    And here I thought Pandora was just a radio station with terrible suggestions of what I should, in theory, like.

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  9. Ermie18 April 2013 at 19:47

    Pandora is one of my favourites, although I had forgotten about the whole hope thing.

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  10. Allison18 April 2013 at 23:21

    Such a famous figure, yet I don't think I knew any of that about her.

    Allison (Geek Banter)

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  11. Krista McLaughlin19 April 2013 at 04:57

    That darn, Pandora. She shouldn't have opened it. But she is definitely a great character!

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  12. Anonymous19 April 2013 at 05:58

    We always have hope. :)

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  13. Outcast19 April 2013 at 20:09

    The story of Pandora always annoys me, she was just so foolish haha! And now look at all the problems here curiosity has caused!

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