In Greek mythology, evils escaped from Pandora’s container and spread among humanity.
Hesiod describes the container as holding destructive troubles that had previously been hidden from people. When Pandora opens it, diseases and other hardships disperse through the world. The myth functions as an etiological story: it explains why human life includes suffering, illness, labor, and other misfortunes.
The ancient account does not use the modern phrase “all the evils” in exactly the same way every time it is retold, and translations vary in their wording. Common translations refer to evils, ills, or troubles. The core event remains consistent: opening the vessel releases the burdens of mortal existence.
Modern summaries often say that only hope remains inside, but interpretations of that detail differ. Hesiod’s text says Elpis is retained; it does not make the myth a simple statement that hope triumphs over every evil.