In Greek mythology, what event caused Pandora to release suffering into the world?

In Greek mythology, Pandora released suffering into the world by opening the jar entrusted to her. The story is the ancient source of the expression “Pandora’s box,” although Hesiod described a jar rather than a box.

The container held destructive forces or evils that had previously been kept inside. Once Pandora opened it, these forces escaped and spread among humanity. Hope remained inside according to the traditional interpretation of the story, though the meaning of that ending has been debated by classical scholars.

The familiar word “box” comes from later translations and retellings. The Greek term pithos refers to a large storage jar, often used for commodities such as grain, oil, or wine. Changing the vessel into a box made the story more immediately understandable to later European audiences.

Modern usage applies “Pandora’s box” to an action that creates many unexpected problems. The idiom preserves the myth’s central idea even when no supernatural elements are involved.