In Greek mythology, Hope remained inside Pandora’s vessel after the other troubles escaped.
In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Pandora opens the container and releases the harmful conditions that afflict human life. She closes it before Hope can leave. The Greek term is elpis, usually translated as “hope,” although scholars have debated the precise meaning and role of the word in the passage.
The detail has generated different interpretations. Some readers view Hope as a comfort deliberately preserved for humanity. Others note that Hope remains trapped inside the vessel, raising the question of whether Hesiod presents it as beneficial, ambiguous, or another force held back from people. The ancient poem does not provide a simple modern explanation.
Later retellings generally turn the ending into an optimistic image: even after suffering enters the world, hope survives. This is why “hope at the bottom of Pandora’s box” became a familiar expression, although the ancient wording and its implications are more complex.