|
|
Amazon.com International Sites :
USA, United Kingdom, Germany, France
Books about Pandora :
Pandora's Daughters : The Role and Status of Women in Greek and Roman Antiquity
In Greek legend Pandora was the first woman on Earth. When it came time to populate the Earth, the gods delegated
the task to Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus. Epimetheus (whose name means "afterthought" or "hindsight")
began with the animals to whom he gave all the best gifts--strength and speed, cunning, and the protection of fur
and feathers. Too late, he realized there was no quality left to make mankind a match for the beasts. After Prometheus
("foresight") had stolen fire from heaven and given it to mortals, an angry Zeus determined to counteract
this blessing. Zeus ordered Hephaestus to fashion a woman out of clay and adorned her with gifts from all the gods.
Aphrodite gave her beauty, Hermes persuasion, and Athena feminine skills. She was named Pandora ("all-giving").
The ancient Greek poet Hesiod, in his 'Works and Days', said that Zeus sent her to Earth. There Epimetheus married
her despite a warning from his brother Prometheus to accept no gifts from Zeus. Pandora either found or brought
with her a mysterious jar. Epimetheus ordered Pandora never to open it. Secretly, however, she removed the lid.
All human ills and evils flew out and covered the world. Hope alone was caught inside the jar.
Amazon.com International Sites :