In Greek mythology, Zeus gave Pandora a jar containing evils before she opened it.
The story appears in Hesiod’s Works and Days, where Zeus orders the creation of Pandora after Prometheus steals fire for humanity. Zeus intends the gift to bring suffering to mortals as part of his punishment for Prometheus’s defiance. The container is traditionally translated as a jar, although later retellings popularized the phrase “Pandora’s box.”
Pandora is sent to Epimetheus, Prometheus’s brother. Despite Prometheus’s warning not to accept gifts from Zeus, Epimetheus welcomes her. Pandora eventually opens the sealed container, releasing illnesses, toil, and other troubles into the world. Hope remains inside when she closes it again.
The myth is therefore not mainly about a random accident: Zeus’s plan, Prometheus’s theft, and Pandora’s arrival are linked parts of the same Greek origin story about human suffering.