Pandora facts for kids

Pandora trying to close the box she has opened. At left, the evils of the world taunt her as they escape. Engraving, based on a painting by F.S. Church.

In Greek mythology, Pandora was the very first woman on Earth. The king of the gods, Zeus, asked the god Hephaestus to create her out of earth. Other gods gave her special gifts, like beauty and charm, which is why her name, Pandora, means "all gifts" in Greek.

Zeus sent Pandora to live with a kind man named Epimetheus. As a wedding gift, Zeus gave them a mysterious jar, which is often called Pandora's box today. They were told very clearly not to open it.

However, Pandora was very curious. One day, she couldn't resist and opened the jar. Evil had been in the jar, and escaped and spread over the entire Earth. Pandora realized what she had done, and quickly closed the jar. It was too late to keep evil from getting out, and the only thing left in the jar was hope. The word "jar" in the myth has sometimes been mistranslated as "box", and the phrase "Pandora's box" has become a common phrase in the English language. It refers to something that will cause trouble.

The myth of Pandora is ancient, and there are several different Greek versions. It has been interpreted in different ways. It addresses the question why there is evil in the world.

Pandora, the Moon of Saturn

Pandora is also the name of one of the many moons that orbit the giant ringed planet Saturn. It's a small moon, shaped a bit like a potato. Scientists discovered Pandora in October 1980 using pictures taken by the Voyager 1 spacecraft. It was later officially named Pandora in 1985, after the character from Greek mythology.

Images for kids

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  Pandora by John William Waterhouse

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  A pithos from Crete, ca. 675 BC (Louvre Museum)

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  Nicolas Régnier: Allegory of Vanity—Pandora, c. 1626

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  Jane Morris in the role, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, coloured chalks, 1879

See also

In Spanish: Pandora para niños