The mythology of ancient Greece and Italy

PANDORA. 293
clients, lords and vassals. The latter recognised the power of
the former, who on their part could not well dispense with
the gifts and respect of men ; and men, like the tenants of
griping landlords, were obliged to be very circumspect, that
is, to use a good deal of forethought in their actions, to get
every advantage they could in their dealings with the gods.
This is intimated in the transaction respecting the fire of
which Zeus is said to have deprived men, and which Prome-
theus stole and brought back to earth.
Zeus then, the mythe goes on to relate, was incensed at this
daring deed, and resolved to punish the men for it. He there-
fore directed Hephrestos to knead earth and water, to give it
human voice and strength, and to make the fair form of a
virgin like the immortal goddesses : he desired Athena to endow
her with artist-knowledge, Aphrodite to give her beauty
and desire, and Hermes to inspire her with an impudent and
artful disposition. When formed she was attired by the Seasons
and Graces ; each of the deities gave the commanded
gifts, and she was named Pandora [All-gifted). Thus furnished
she was brought by Hermes to the dwelling of Epimetheus
; who, though his brother had warned him to be upon
his guard and to receive no gifts from Zeus, dazzled with her
charms took her to his house and made her his wife. The evil
effects of this imprudent act were speedily felt. In the house
of these first men stood a closed jar, which they had been for-
bidden to open. Forethought, as may be supposed, had ri-
gidly obeyed this direction, and had hitherto kept his brother
also from transgressing it. But the case was now altered : a
woman, whose chief attribute is curiosity, was come into the
house : dying to know 7 what the jar contained she raised the
lid, and all the evils hitherto unknown to man poured out and
spread over the earth. In terror at the sight of these mon-
sters, she clapped down the lid just in time to prevent the
escape of Hope, who thus remained with man, his chief sup-
port and comfort.
This fable of Pandora is certainly not capable of being reconciled
with other Hellenic mythes of the origin of mankind,
such as the one which we have given above ; but incongruities
little discomposed those ancient bards, and if a mythe
contained a moral that pleased them, they were indifferent