In Greek mythology, hope was the only thing left inside Pandora’s jar after its contents escaped.
Hesiod’s account in Works and Days says Pandora lifted the lid of a storage jar, releasing the troubles that afflict humanity. The text then says that only Elpis remained inside, because Pandora closed the vessel before it could leave. Elpis is commonly translated as “hope,” although the Greek concept can also mean expectation or anticipation.
The story is often retold as “Pandora’s box,” but Hesiod described a pithos, a large earthenware storage jar. The box wording became standard much later through a Renaissance translation tradition. Another common mistake is to say that hope escaped into the world; in the original account, it remained inside the container.
The ending has inspired different interpretations. Hope may be presented as a comfort preserved for humanity, or as something withheld from humanity, depending on how the myth is read.