Pandora was the first woman of Greek mythology. After Prometheus gave humankind fire, Zeus decided to punish both him (by chaining him to a mountain and letting his liver be torn out every day, while it grew back during the night) and mankind itself by creating Pandora. She was created by Hephaestus and adorned with gifts by the Twelve Olympians. She owned a box (actually a pithos/πίθος ) that contained the evils of the world. Pandora was the wife of Epimetheus the Titan and mother of Pyrrha, husband of Deucalion.
Pandora was told not to open the box but one night while Epimetheus was asleep she snuck over and opened the box, letting all the evils out such as Plague, Misery and Death. She shut the box before Hope fled, thus leaving Hope for humankind to still believe in.