第1个回答 2008-05-10
The gift of fire had been given to man, but Zeus, King of the gods, was not content (satisfied) that man should possess (own, have) this treasure in peace. He therefore talked it over with the other gods and together they made for man a woman.
All the gods gave gifts to this new creation. She was named Pandora which means All-gifted, since each of the gods had given her something. The last gift was a box in which there was supposed to be a great treasure, but which Pandora was instructed never to open. Then Hermes, the Messenger, took the girl and brought her to a man named Epimetheus.
Epimetheus had been warned to receive no gifts from Zeus, but he was a headless person and Pandora was very lovely. He accepted her. For a while they lived together in happiness. Eventually, however, Pandora’s curiosity got the better of her, and she determined to see for herself what treasure it was that the gods had given her. One day when she was alone, she went over to the corner where her box lay and cautiously lifted the lid for a peep. The lid flew up out of her hands and knocked her aside, while before her frightened eyes dreadful, shadowy shapes flew out of the box in an endless stream.
They were hunger, disease, war, greed, anger, jealousy, toil (hard work), and all the griefs and hardships to which man from that day has been subject. At last the stream slackened (weakened, became weak), and Pandora, who had been paralyzed with fear and horror, found strength to shut her box.
The only thing left in it now, however, was the one good gift the gods had put in among so many evil ones. This was hope, and from that time the hope that is in man’s heart is the only thing which has made him able to stand the sorrows that Pandora brought upon him.本回答被提问者采纳