According to ancient Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman, created on Zeus’ orders as a punishment for mankind. Her “box” (actually a sort of jar) contained many evil things, such as toil, illness and despair, but it also contained Hope. When the jar was opened, these evils as well as Hope were released into the world.

In the early days of the Olympian Gods, Zeus, Lord of the Gods, jealously guarded his secrets. He had ordered his cousins, the Titans Epimetheus and Prometheus, to bring gifts to all of the animali on Earth. When he got to Man, Epimetheus found he had nothing left....