the first of her
sex.

Jupiter, to complete his designs, presented her a box, in which he had
enclosed age, disease, war, famine, pestilence, discord, envy, calumny,
and, in short, all the evils and vices with which he intended to afflict
the world. Thus equipped, Pand{=o}ra was sent to Prometheus, who, being
on his guard against the mischief designed him, declined accepting the
box; but Epimetheus, his brother, though forewarned of the danger, had
less resolution; for, being enamored of the beauty of Pand{=o}ra, he
married her, and opened the fatal treasure, when immediately flew abroad
the contents, which soon overspread the world, hope only remaining at
the bottom.

Prometheus escaping the evil which the god designed him, and Jupiter not
being appeased, Mercury and Vulcan were despatched by him to seize
Prometheus, and chain him on Mount Caucasus, where a vulture, the
offspring of Typhon and Echidna, was commissioned to prey upon his
liver, which, that his torment might be endless, was constantly renewed
by night in proportion to its increase by day; but the vulture being
soon destroyed by Hercules, Prometheus was released. Others say, that
Jupiter restored Prometheus to freedom, for discovering the conspiracy
of Saturn, his father, and dissuading his intended marriage with Thetis.

Nicander, to this fable, offers an additional one. He tells us, that
when mankind had received the fire from Prometheus, some ungrateful men
discovered the theft to Jupiter, who rewarded them with the gift of
_perpetual youth_. This present they put on the back of an ass, which
stopping at a fountain to quench his thirst, was prevented by a
water-snake which would not suffer him to drink till he gave him his
burden; hence the serpent renews his youth upon changing his skin.

Prometheus was esteemed the inventor of many useful arts. He made man of
the mixture and temperament of all the elements, gave him strength of
body, vigor of mind, and the peculiar qualities of all creatures, as the
craft of the fox, the courage of the lion, &c. He had an altar in the
academy of Athens in common with Vulcan and Pallas. In his statues he
holds a sceptre in the right hand.

Several explanations have been given of this fable. Prometheus, whose
name is derived from a Greek word, signifying foresight and providence,
was conspicuous for that quality; and because he reduced mankind, before
rude and savage, to a state of culture and improvement, he was