In Greek mythology, hope was the quality that remained in Pandora’s container after the evils escaped.
Hesiod says that Pandora opened the vessel and released destructive forces into the world, then closed it before the contents were completely gone. The item left inside is traditionally translated as hope, making it the famous final element of the story.
Interpretations differ over whether hope is presented as a benefit, a consolation, or something deliberately withheld from humanity. The Greek term elpis can carry broader meanings than the modern English word hope, so scholars have discussed the passage for centuries. Still, hope is the conventional answer in general reference works and popular retellings.
The myth does not describe Pandora finding a second object outside the vessel. Hope is associated with what remained within it, which is why the story is often used to discuss human endurance amid suffering.