In Greek mythology, evils escaped from Pandora’s jar and spread through the world. Hesiod describes the container as holding destructive troubles that had previously remained beyond human reach.
The evils represent the hardships of mortal existence. Later interpretations commonly include disease, pain, toil, and other forms of suffering, although Hesiod’s wording is more poetic than a fixed catalogue. Pandora’s action is therefore tied to an origin story for why human life is difficult.
After Pandora replaced the lid, only hope remained inside in the traditional interpretation. The myth does not present her as deliberately malicious; she is a created figure caught within Zeus’s plan to punish humanity.
The phrase “opening Pandora’s box” now means starting a process that releases many unforeseen problems. Its everyday use has broadened beyond Greek mythology, but it still preserves the image of evils escaping from a sealed container.