In Greek mythology, hope remains inside Pandora’s jar after its other contents escape. Hesiod’s Works and Days says that Pandora replaces the lid before Hope comes out, leaving it within the container.
The Greek word is elpis, usually translated as “hope.” The detail has prompted centuries of debate because the story does not plainly say whether hope is kept inside as a comfort for humanity or prevented from reaching it. Modern retellings generally treat Hope as the one positive presence preserved for people.
The familiar expression “Pandora’s box” can obscure the original detail. Hesiod describes a pithos, a large earthenware storage jar, rather than a small box. Also, the myth does not list every escaping evil in a fixed modern catalogue; later authors and artists expanded the contents into a general symbol of human suffering.