Pandora opened the container that released the world's troubles in Greek mythology.
The story appears most famously in Hesiod's Works and Days, where Pandora is created by the gods and sent to humanity. Zeus gives her a sealed container, often called a box in modern retellings, although the ancient Greek word more specifically means a large storage jar.
When Pandora opens it, sickness, toil, sorrow, and other hardships escape into the world. She closes the container before one final thing can leave: hope. The myth explains why human life contains suffering while also preserving the possibility of endurance and optimism.
Modern versions often say Pandora was forbidden to open the box, but Hesiod's account emphasizes the opening and its consequences rather than presenting the familiar wording of a written warning. The phrase “Pandora's box” now describes an action that creates many unforeseen problems.