古希腊经典故事：The First Woman
The story (absurd enough!) is that Jupiter made the first woman and sent her to Prometheus and his brother, to punish them for their presumption in stealing fire from heaven; and man, for accepting the gift. This first human of the fair sex was named Pandora. She was made in heaven, every god contributing something to perfect her. Venus gave her beauty, Mercury persuasion, Apollo music, etc. thus equipped, she was conveyed to earth and presented to Epimetheus, who gladly accepted her, though cautioned by his brother to beware of Jupiter and his gift. Epimetheus had in his house a jar, in which were kept certain noxious articles, for which, in fitting man for his new abode, he had had no occasion. Pandora was seized with an eager curiosity to know what this jar contained; and one day she slipped off the cover and looked in. Forthwith there escaped a multitude of plagues for hapless man - such as gout, rheumatism, and colic for his body, and envy, spite, and revenge for his mind - and scattered themselves for and wide. Pandora hastened to replace the lid; but, alas! the whole contents of the jar had escaped, one thing only excepted, which lay at the bottom, and that was hop. So we see at this day, whatever evils are abroad, hope never entirely leaves us; and while we have that, no amount of other ills can make us completely wretched.
Another story is the Pandora was sent in good faith, by Jupiter, to bless man; that she was furnished with a box, containing her marriage blessing. She opened the box incautiously, and the blessings all escaped, hope only excepted. This story seems more probable than the former; for how could hop, so precious a jewel as it is, have been kept in a jar full of all manner of evils, as in the former statement?
传说（虽然相当荒唐）朱庇特造了第一个女人并把她送给了普罗米修斯兄弟二人，以惩罚他们偷盗天火的狂妄行为，也惩罚人类，因为他们接受了天火。这人类中的第一位女性名叫潘多拉。她是在天上创造的，每个神祗都对她有所赋予以使她臻于完美。维纳斯送给她美貌，墨丘利送给她利嘴灵舌，阿波罗送给她音乐的天赋，还有其他种种。接受了这些禀赋后她被送到地上交给了厄庇墨透斯。厄庇墨透斯的哥哥虽然早就嘱咐过弟弟要提防朱庇特和他的馈赠，但他弟弟还是欣然接纳了潘多拉。厄庇墨透斯的家里放着一个瓮，里面装着一些害人精。他因为一直忙着打点人类在新住地安身，还没有顾得上处理它们。潘多拉对这瓮产生了强烈的好奇心，非常想知道里面装着什么东西。有一天，她推开了瓮盖，想看个究竟。立刻从里面冲出一大群使人遭受不幸的灾难－－如折磨人肉体的痛风、风湿、腹痛；折磨人心灵的忌妒、怨恨、复仇－－－向四方飞散。潘多拉赶快捂上盖子，但是，天哪，瓮里关着的东西都已跑掉，只剩下压在瓮底的一件，那就是希望。所以我们至今仍然可见，不论邪恶多么猖狂，总会有一线希望。只要有希望，任凭什么样的厄运也不能摧垮我们。
另一种说法是潘多拉是朱庇特诚心实意地派遣到人间来为人类造福的。她接过了一个盒子，里面装着她的嫁妆。可是她竟不慎打开了盒盖，所有的恩赐都跑掉了，只剩下了希望。这个故事比刚才讲的那个听起来更可信。因为象希望这样的珍宝怎么能如第一个故事所讲的，和形形色色的邪恶装在同一个容器里呢！
（编辑:youke）
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