This provoked the vengeance of Jupiter, and he ordered Vulcan to create a
female, whom they called Pandora. All the Gods vied in making presents.
Venus gave her beauty, and the art of pleasing; {21} Apollo taught her to
sing; Mercury instructed her in eloquence; Minerva gave her the most rich
and splendid ornaments. From these valuable presents which she received
from the Gods, the woman was called Pandora, which intimates that she had
received every necessary gift. Jupiter, after this, gave her a beautiful
box, which she was ordered to present to the man who married her; and by
the command of the god, Mercury conducted her to Prometheus. The artful
mortal was sensible of the deceit; and as he had always distrusted Jupiter,
he sent away Pandora without suffering himself to be captivated by her
charms.
"He spoke, and told to Mulciber his will,
And smiling bade him his command fulfil;
To use his greatest art, his nicest care,
To frame a creature exquisitely fair;
To temper well the clay with water, then
To add the vigour and the voice of men;
To let her first in virgin lustre shine,
In form a goddess, with a bloom divine;
And next the sire demands Minerva's aid,
In all her various skill to train the maid
Bids her the secrets of the loom impart,
To cast a curious thread with happy heart;
And golden Venus was to teach the fair
The wiles of love, and to improve her air;
And then in awful majesty to shed
A thousand graceful charms around her head.
Next Hermes, artful god, must form her mind,
One day to torture, and the next be kind:
With manners all deceitful, and her tongue
Fraught with abuse, and with detraction hung;
Jove gave the mandate, and the gods obeyed:
First Vulcan formed of earth the blushing maid;
Minerva next performed the task assigned,
With every female art adorned her mind;
To her the Beauties and the Graces join,
Around her person, lo! the diamonds shine.
To deck her brows the fair tressed seasons bring,
A garland breathing all the sweets of spring:
Each present Pallas gives its proper place,
And adds to every ornament a grace!
Next Hermes taught the fair the heart to move
With all the false alluring arts of love,
Her manners all deceitful, and her tongue
With falsehoods fruitful, and detraction hung;
The finished maid the gods Pandora call,
Because a tribute she received from all;
And thus 'twas Jove's command the sex began
A lovely mischief to the soul of man!
Within her hand the nymph a casket bears,
Full of diseases and corroding cares:
{22}
Which opened, they to taint the world begin
And Hope alone remained entire within!
Such was the fatal present from above,
And such the will of cloud compelling Jove:
And now unnumbered woes o'er mortals reign
Alike infected is the land and main;
O'er human race distempers silent stray,
And multiply their strength by night and day!
'Twas Jove's decree they should in silence rove,
For who is able to contend with Jove?"