In Greek mythology, Pandora releases evils when she opens the sealed container.
In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Zeus orders the creation of Pandora as part of humanity’s punishment after Prometheus steals fire. The gods give her various attributes, and Hermes brings her to Epimetheus. Pandora carries a large storage vessel, traditionally called a jar in modern translations.
When Pandora opens it, destructive conditions escape into the world. Hesiod lists troubles including disease, labor, and other hardships. The story is not originally framed around a literal box; the familiar “box” wording developed through later translation and retelling.
Hope remains inside in the usual interpretation of the myth, although scholars debate the exact meaning of its position and whether Hesiod presents it as beneficial or ambiguous. The phrase “Pandora’s box” now describes an action that causes many unforeseen problems.