Pandora
postquam Promētheus īgnem hūmānīs dedit, Juppiter erat īrātissimus quod Promētheus contra eum dolum putābat. Juppiter ergo cōnsilium fēcit; ad fīlium, Volcānum, ambulāvit et dīxit, “Volcāne, mī filī, necesse est tibi creāre fēminam bellam ē terrā. necesse est omnibus deīs dāre dona fēminae bellae.”
Volcānus fēminam ē terrā creāvit et omnēs deī deaeque dona fēminae dedērunt. Iuppiter nomen “Pandora” fēminae dedit. nunc Juppiter erat laetus quod quoque arcam plēnam omnium malōrum fēminae dedit.
Juppiter Pandorae dicēbat, “nolī aperīre arcam.” Juppiter saepe ridēbat.
unō die, Juppiter fratrem Promētheī, Epimētheum, visitābat. Juppiter dīxit, “ego habeō fēminam bellam; tū dēsiderās habēre fēminam bellam?”
Epimētheus respondit, “ita vero! ego dēsiderō fēminam.” Juppiter ridēbat et Pandoram vocāvit. Pandora arcam in manū sinistrā tenēbat et tunc ad Epimētheum ambulāvit. Epimētheus erat laetus sed Promētheus nunc erat anxius. Promētheus monēre fratrem temptāvit sed frustrā erat. Epimētheus fēminam amābat. Juppiter iterum ridēbat.
Epimētheus saepe dē arcā rogābat. Pandora nihil dē arcā dicēbat. Epimētheus saepe rogābat, “quid est in arcā? dīc mihi, quid est in arcā? aperī arcam!” Pandora erat cūriōsa et dēsiderābat aperīre arcam. Pandora arcam aperuit et subitō multa mala ex arcā volābant. Pandora erat territa et statim arcam clausit. spēs sola in arcā remanēbat.
Promētheus nunc erat tristis quod hominēs mala vidēbant. fortasse Promētheus spem ex arcā remōvit et dedit spem hominibus. Promētheus quoque alia dona hominibus dedit; hūmānī nunc in casīs habitābant, agrōs colēbant, dē medicīnā intellegēbant, nāvēs navigābant, instrumenta faciēbant.
Juppiter autem erat iratus iterum.
Word Count: 242
Reading Comprehension Questions
Reading Comprehension Questions
1. What happens as a result of Jupiter’s anger towards Prometheus? Whom does Jupiter summon and what are his orders?
2. In addition to the the gifts the gods gave her, what else did Pandora have? What was inside of that object?
3, What were Jupiter’s orders to Pandora? What effect do you think this had? Have you had a similar reaction when other people have given you a similar command?
4. To whom did Jupiter give Pandora? What was this person’s relationship to Prometheus?
5. What did Epimetheus often ask Pandora to do? What happened when she did what Epimetheus asked?
6. What did Prometheus give to humans because he felt bad about what happened?