Unit8 Pandora’s Box

1  When the gods created the earth, they made it a perfect place for man. Each of the gods gave man a gift, such as strength, intelligence, and skills, and they filled the earth with everything that man needed to live happily. No people needed to work or hunt, and people never grew old or sick or died.

2  The only thing that the gods did not give man was fire. They feared that giving man fire would make him as powerful as the gods and would cause him to destroy the many wonderful things that the gods had put on earth.

3   One day, Prometheus stole some fire from heaven and gave it to man. Though man knew that fire was the possession of the gods, they still accepted Prometheus’ gift. Zeus was very angry at this and decided to punish man. He called on Hephaestus, the god of metal and fire, and asked him to build a woman out of stone. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, modeled for the statue so that it would be beautiful. When it was finished, Athena breathed life into the cold stone and it came alive. Then each of the gods gave the woman a gift. Aphrodite taught her how to dance and how to attract any man without even having to look at him. Athena gave her great wisdom. Apollo taught her how to play many musical instruments, and the Muse taught her how to sing. Hermes taught her how to speak wonderful lies that made other people happy. The last gift was given to her by Hera, Zeus’ wife, and this was curiosity. The gods then named her Pandora, which means “the gift of all”.

4  The gods presented her with a box into which each had put something harmful, and forbade her ever to open it. Then they sent her to Epimetheus, who took her gladly although Prometheus had warned him never to accept anything from Zeus. He took her, and afterward when that dangerous thing, a woman, was his, he understood how good his brother’s advice had been, for Pandora, like all women, was possessed of a lively curiosity. She had to Know what was in the box. One day she lifted the lid — and out flew plagues innumerable, sorrow and mischief for mankind.   In terror, Pandora clapped the lid down, but too late. One good thing, however, was there — Hope. It was the only good the casket had held among the many evils, and it remains to this day mankind’s sole comfort in misfortune.