Tonight, Pandora. Hesiod calls her a beautiful evil. You are allowed to disagree with him.
Hesiod’s Theogony · C2
Part Eight: Pandora
Abstract nouns and suffixes (-tion, -th, -ness, -ity, -ment, -dom, -hood, -ance, -ship): C2 word formation for the story of the first woman and the jar, and a critical look at Hesiod.
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SOPHIA
DEMETRIA
I intend to.
The story
After Hesiod’s Theogony, lines 570–612, with Works and Days 47–105
As a punishment for the stolen fire, Zeus had Hephaestus shape a maiden from earth and water. Athena dressed her; every god gave her a gift; hence her name, Pandora, “all-gifts”. With her came a great jar.
Epimetheus, whose forgetfulness was famous, accepted her, though Prometheus had warned him to accept no gift from Zeus. Before this, men had lived in freedom from toil and sickness.
Out of curiosity, or by the will of Zeus, Pandora lifted the lid, and evils flew out over the earth. Only Hope remained under the rim. Hesiod blames her; many readers think the responsibility lies elsewhere.
Only Hope remained there, in an unbreakable home, under the rim of the jar.
Nouns from verbs
PHILO
deceive → deception, punish → punishment.
SOPHIA
Common verb-to-noun suffixes: -tion / -ion (deception, creation), -ment (punishment, judgement), -ance / -ence (ignorance, patience).
Nouns from adjectives
MARCOS
warm → warmth, curious → curiosity, forgetful → forgetfulness.
SOPHIA
-th (warmth, length, truth), -ity (curiosity, responsibility: careful with spelling!), -ness (kindness, forgetfulness), -dom (freedom, wisdom, boredom).
States and relationships
DEMETRIA
Humanity in its childhood. The friendship of gods and men.
SOPHIA
-hood for states and stages (childhood, adulthood, neighbourhood). -ship for relationships and skills (friendship, leadership, craftsmanship).
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| -tion, -ment, -ance / -ence | verb → noun | deceive → deception; punish → punishment |
| -th, -ness, -ity | adjective → noun | warm → warmth; curious → curiosity |
| -dom | state or domain | free → freedom; wise → wisdom |
| -hood | stage or state | child → childhood |
| -ship | relationship or skill | friend → friendship |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose
Choose the correct form.
1. Her ___ (curious) got the better of her.
2. He forgot again. His ___ is legendary.
3. The ___ of the fire kept them alive.
4. He must take ___ for his mistakes.
5. She spent her ___ in Crete.
6. Their ___ lasted all their lives.
B · Write
Write the correct form of the word in brackets, or the missing word.
7. He acted out of , not malice. (ignorant)
8. The of fire changed everything. (discover)
9. Hesiod’s of women is unfair. (judge)
10. Old age brings , they say. (wise)
C · Right or wrong?
Is it correct?
11. “She has great generousity.”
12. “The length of the river is 600 km.”
13. “His leadhood was admired by all.”
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