When Prometheus stole divine fire for mortals, taught them arts and crafts and gave them knowledge, life on earth became happier. Zeus, angry at Prometheus’s act, cruelly punished him and sent evil to people on earth. He ordered the glorious blacksmith god Hephaestus to mix earth and water and make from this mixture a beautiful girl who would have the strength of people, a gentle voice and a look of eyes similar to the look of immortal goddesses. The daughter of Zeus, Pallas Athena, had to weave beautiful clothes for her; the goddess of love, golden Aphrodite, was supposed to give her irresistible charm; Hermes - give her a cunning mind and resourcefulness.
Immediately the gods fulfilled the command of Zeus. Hephaestus made an unusually beautiful girl from the earth. The gods revived her. Pallas Athena and the Charites dressed the girl in clothes shining like the sun and put gold necklaces on her. The Ori laid a wreath of fragrant spring flowers on her lush curls. Hermes put false and flattering speeches into her mouth. The gods called her Pandora, since she received gifts from all of them. Pandora was supposed to bring misfortune to people.
When this evil for people was ready, Zeus sent Hermes to take Pandora to earth to Prometheus' brother, Epimetheus. Wise Prometheus warned his foolish brother many times and advised him not to accept gifts from the thunderer Zeus. He was afraid that these gifts would bring grief to people. But Epimetheus did not listen to the advice of his wise brother. Pandora captivated him with her beauty, and he took her as his wife. Epimetheus soon learned how much evil Pandora brought with her to people.
In the house of Epimetheus there was a large vessel tightly closed with a heavy lid; no one knew what was in this vessel, and no one dared to open it, since everyone knew that this would lead to trouble. The curious Pandora secretly removed the lid from the vessel, and the disasters that were once contained in it scattered across the entire earth. Only one Hope remained at the bottom of the huge vessel. The lid of the vessel slammed shut again, and Hope did not fly out of Epimetheus’s house. The thunderer Zeus did not want this.
People used to live happily, without knowing evil, hard work and destructive diseases. Now a myriad of calamities have spread among the people. Now both the land and the sea are filled with evil. Evil and illness come to people uninvited both day and night, and they bring suffering to people. They come with silent steps, silently, since Zeus deprived them of the gift of speech - he made evil and disease mute.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru