Pandora 　　Afterthestealingoffire,Zeusbecameincreasinglyunkindtomen.OnedayheorderedhissonHephaestustobuildanimageofabeautifulmaidenoutofclay.Hethenaskedthegodsandgoddessestoawardherwithdifferentkindsofgifts.Amongothers,AthenaclothedherinanattractivecoatandHermesgaveherthepoweroftellinglies.Acharmingyounglady,shewasthefirstwomanthateverlived.ZeuscalledherPandora.Becauseshehadreceivedfromeachofthegodsandgoddessesagift.Thegiftwasharmfultomen. 　　Zeusdecidedtosendherdowntomenasapresent.SoHermesthemessengerbroughthertoEpimetheus,brotherofPrometheus.Thegreatnessofherbeautytouchedtheheartsofallwholookeduponher,andEpimetheushappilyreceivedherintohishouse.HehadquiteforgottenPometheus'warning:nevertoacceptanythingfromZeus.Thecouplelivedahappylifeforsometime.Thentroublecameontothehumanworld. 　　Whenhewasbusywithteachingmentheartofliving,PrometheushadleftabigcaskinthecareofEpimetheus.Hehadwarnedhisbrothernottoopenthelid.Pandorawasacuriouswoman.Shehadbeenfeelingverydisappointedthatherhusbanddidnotallowhertotakealookatthecontentsofthecask.Oneday,whenEpimetheuswasout,sheliftedthelidandoutitcameunrestandwar,Plagueandsickness,theftandviolence,griefsorrow,andalltheotherevils.Thehumanworldwashencetoexperiencetheseevils.Onlyhopestayedwithinthemouthofthejarandneverflewout.Somenalwayshavehopewithintheirhearts. 　　潘多拉 　　偷窃天火之后,宙斯对人类的敌意与日俱增.一天,他令儿子赫菲斯托斯用泥塑一美女像,并请众神赠予她不同的礼物.其中,雅典娜饰之以华丽的衣裳,赫耳墨斯赠之以说谎的能力.世上的第一个女人是位迷人女郎,因为她从每位神灵那里得到了一样对男人有害的礼物,因此宙斯称她为潘多拉(pander:意为煽动). 　　宙斯决定把她作为礼物送给世间的男子.于是信使赫耳墨斯将她带给普罗米修斯的弟弟厄庇墨透斯.她姿容绝美,见者无不为之倾心.厄庇墨透斯兴高采烈地把她迎入屋内.普罗米修斯警告过他不得接受宙斯的任何馈赠,而他已将之忘于脑后.这一对夫妻有过一段幸福的生活,但不久灾难却降临人间. 　　当普罗米修斯忙于教授人们生存之道的时候,他把一个桶托付给厄庇墨透斯.他警告过他的弟弟不要打开桶盖.潘多拉好奇心强.她的丈夫不允许她看桶中之物,这使她感到十分懊恼.一天乘厄庇墨透斯出门在外,她打开桶盖,从桶里跑出的是不和与战争,瘟疫与疾病,偷窃与暴力,悲哀与忧虑,以及其他一些人类从此要遭受的不幸.只有希望被关在桶口,永远飞不出来,因此人们常常把希望藏于心中.