HER NAME MEANS "ALL-GIFTED" AND THAT SHE WAS. AT ZEUS'S COMMAND, HER BODY WAS CREATED OUT OF CLAY AND FIRE BY HEPHAESTUS, THE CLEVER BLACKSMITH OF THE HEAVENS. AND THE, ALL OF THE GODS GATHERED TO GIVE HER GIFTS. APHRODITE GIFTED HER WITH GREAT BEAUTY; HERMES WITH CLEVER SPEECH; AND APOLLO WITH MUSIC. HEPHAESTUS PLACED A GOLDEN CROWN ON HER HEAD WHICH HE HAD ENGRAVED WITH MAGICAL SYMBOLS. THE HORAE WREATHED HER IN A WIDE ARRAY OF FRESH FLOWERS. SHE WAS TRULY THE LOVELIEST MORTAL WOMAN WHO HAD YET BEEN PLACED UPON THE EARTH.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS ANOTHER GIFT WHICH I HAVE YET TO MENTION. IT WAS THE GIFT FROM HERA, THE GODDESS OF MARRIAGE. SHE GAVE PANDORA THE GIFT OF INSATIABLE CURIOSITY. WE'LL NEVER KNOW WHY HERA CHOSE THAT GIFT. PERHAPS IT WAS BECAUSE SHE DISLIKED THE IDEA OF CREATING A PASSIVE VIRGIN TO BE PAWNED OFF AS A HELPLESS BRIDE, FOR SHE HERSELF, COULD NEVER BE CALLED A PASSIVE WIFE. IN FACT, WE FIND IN HERA THE IMAGE OF A WOMAN WHO FIGHTS TO BE HEARD AND IS NOT DISMISSED IN MARRIAGE, A WOMAN WHO WAS CONSTANTLY REBELLING AGAINST THE STEREOTYPE OF THE HUMBLE AND OBEDIENT WIFE.
SO, WHEN PANDORA WAS SENT TO EARTH TO BE WITH EPINETHEUS, THE GODS ALSO PROVIDED HER WITH A DOWRY; IT WAS A STRANGE LIDDED JAR WHICH, UNBEKNOWNST TO PANDORA, WAS FILLED WITH ALL OF THE HORRIBLE ILLS THAT PLAGUE PEOPLE BY DAY AND MALADIES OF THE NIGHT. SHE IS TOLD NOT TO OPEN THE JAR, BUT, OF COURSE, WE MUST REMEMBER HERA'S GIFT. SO, FOR A TIME SHE AGREES TO AND PLAYS THE PART OF THE PERFECT, SUBMISSIVE WIFE. BUT EVENTUALLY, HOWEVER, SHE CAN NO LONGER CONTAIN HERSELF AND OPENS THE JAR...AND AS EVERYONE KNOWS...THIS ONE ACT UNLEASHED ALL THE ILLS OF HUMANKIND WHICH HAVE TROUBLED US EVER SINCE.
BUT, ONE THING REMAINED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE JAR AND THAT WAS HOPE...HOPE WHICH HAS BEEN WITH US ALWAYS. AND, WHENEVER WE ARE TROUBLED BY DISEASE AND DEATH, IT IS THIS HOPE THAT KEEPS US AFLOAT.
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