Works & Days, Hesiod

I. Origin of Women, Marriage, and Suffering: The gift/curse of Pandora (pan "all" + dor "gift"), the first woman, to mankind was a group project from Olympus sent to "punish" mankind for Prometheus' wiles. Haephaestas mixed together clay, water, and voice to give form, while Athena made her skillful, Aphrodite made her alluring and Hermes topped her off with the "soul of a bitch". She was delivered to Epimetheus with a Pyxis, an ornamental casing she was warned not to open. Of course, her curiosity gets the best of her (or, to some, she intentionally opens it) and she unleashes a plethora of scourges upon mankind. She is able to capture hope as is it is about to escape by shutting the jar tight, posing the idea that we need disillusion for a meaning in life.
The idea of a beautiful exterior, rank interior is recompensed by Prometheus's sacrificial gift.

II. Ages of Mankind:
1. Gold: Created by the Olympians, to live under Cronus' rule. Humankind was almost immortal, and lived to experience a painless death, whereby they became holy spirits that wandered the earth.
2. Silver: Again, created by Olympians, living under Zeus' rule. This prototype lived until 100, most of which in immaturity. Their prime was short and violent, and they refused to honor the gods, so in death they were only "blessed".
3a. Bronze: Created by Zeus from ash trees, this race was inherently violent and fashioned Bronze weapons to main and kill each other with. They often met mutual annihilation over political and cultural strife. In death they were sent to Hades to pay their dues in proportion to the good and evil they enacted.
3b. Heroes: Created by Zeus, these creatures were created in the image of the Gods (godlike demi heros) and lived out short but glorious lives. Most experienced death, but many legends were privileged to occupy the Isles of the Blessed (Elysium) in Hades.
4. Iron: Created by Deucalon and Pyrrha, this race experiences endless labour and strife, and only meet some good with much evil. We live under the threat of total destruction, and live out our short and numbered days awaiting a painful death. It is the iron age that adopted the adage "the best fate of all is to never have been born", as promoted by Arisophanes.