In Greek mythology, Zeus used Pandora to release evils into human life.
The Pandora episode is an etiological myth: it explains why suffering, disease, toil, and other hardships exist among humans. After Prometheus gave humanity fire, Zeus arranged for Pandora to enter the human world carrying a sealed container. When it was opened, the harmful forces inside escaped and spread among people.
Hesiod’s wording refers broadly to destructive conditions rather than providing the modern storybook list of named creatures. Later retellings often turn the contents into “all the evils of the world,” a compact phrase that summarizes the myth’s function.
Hope is the major exception associated with the jar. It remains inside after the evils leave, although ancient and modern readers debate the meaning of that detail. The familiar expression “opening Pandora’s box” now describes an action that creates many unforeseen problems.