DID YOU KNOW: THE OTHER EVE
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Curiosity killed a cat, or should I say curiosity killed women’s reputation?
What other creature is commonly known for its cunning, curious, untamed nature but a woman? A gift of God to mankind, to spread joy, and love and ensure the perpetuity of life. Man’s other half, the mate, being the wife, the mother, the daughter, the sister, and the list goes on, companions with whom life would be dull and unbearable to endure.
Well, my friends, that’s what modern society tries so hard to establish nowadays, but history says otherwise, women weren’t always perceived as lovely creatures, an ideology that found its way to persist through time, and even today some still convinced that women are the true incarnation of evil to be aware of. Daughters of a mischievous creature, decedent of Eve and Pandora, two personas that were gifted to a masculine figure altering in one way or another his serene life.
Since we are all well-acquainted with Eve’s story, how about a glance into Pandora’s myth, the Greek version of the first woman's creation?
It is told by the Greeks that the humans were a creation neglected by the Gods, but cared for by one of the Titans “Prometheus”, as he and his brother “Epimetheus” were given the task of creating and populating the earth with living creatures. While “Epimetheus” distributed all the qualities and abilities to animals, none was left to the humans.
To adjust his brother’s acts, “Prometheus” allowed the humans to stand like Gods, along with skills and knowledge, he offered them one more boon “Fire”, that he stole from Olympus against Zeus’s will. A kind gesture toward humans that allowed them to thrive.
But such rebellious actions and defiance are never forgotten nor forgiven, and could not go unpunished, so Zeus sought revenge. “Prometheus” was sentenced to be chained to a rock on Mount Caucasus, where each day an eagle came to feed on his liver. An eternal torment, that humans will also suffer.
To do so, Zeus started by ordering Hephaestus, the blacksmith god, to create a woman. When presented to Gods, each one gave her a gift, Aphrodite, blessed her with beauty, and Hermes granted her the gift of cunning, eloquence, and persuasive speech.
Some believe that Athena dressed the woman in a beautiful gown and adorned her with various jewels, while others state that Athena graced her with wisdom and skills such as weaving. Apollo taught her to play the lyre and sing, …. A selection of gifts that inspired the woman’s name “Pandora” that simply means “all gifted”. Zeus handed her a jar (that some call a box), with the instruction to never open it.
And there it happened, Pandora’s curiosity ate at her, the burning desire to discover Zeus's present was unendurable. That one day Pandora opened the jar, releasing all evil into the world. Calamities that man never knew, sickness and disease, insanity, pain and suffering, and the list varies from one version of the story to another.
While some versions of the myth state that Zeus gave Pandora a foolish and mischievous nature combined with curiosity that was given to her by Hera, many other variations believe that curiosity was a part of her making, without really stating who donated her this trait. But what appears is that Zeus knew her nature and played along to trick her, fulfilling his revengeful plan.
From that moment on, women were stained, and labeled to be the worst gift that men have ever received. But, what makes this story interesting to tell, is the mutual ideology with Eve. And how humans - I mean men - commonly agreed to incriminate the woman from an early age, to be the womb of all evil and misfortune, even though that the same creature gave him the most precious gift, the gift of life, or is that another foolish act she never had to proceed with?
Is it the curse for carrying a child for months, or is it the excruciating pain that damaged his brain when squeezed out of her body, no it must be the poisonous milk she gave him when born. Maybe the unconditional love and affection that can corrupt the minds of the purest souls alive.
As I wrote this article, I couldn’t comprehend why such accusations. If history could testify, crimes and wars were majorly led by men causing martyrs and bloodshed, and if women were to be involved it is stated that it was an act of love, revenge, or defense. When the finger points to the statistics, women are plainly innocent, so why should evil have a gender?
A question, that I keep asking myself and the people around, hoping for an answer. Until then, I’ll keep in mind Pandora’s story, as it was told that when she opened the jar, Pandora left one thing inside “Hope”, and for that, she was and still be punished. Punished for her beauty and spirit, punished for her desire to be one day seen as equal and pure. But I think Pandora kept “Hope”, for herself as she knew that she’ll need it along the way.
Meryem !