In Hesiod’s account of Pandora, hope was the one thing left inside the jar after it was closed.
The Works and Days says that Pandora opened the container and released evils that spread among humans. She then replaced the lid before Elpis, the Greek personification of hope, could escape. The usual English retelling therefore says that hope remained inside.
The passage has generated extensive debate because the myth does not clearly state why hope is kept in the jar. Some interpretations view hope as a consolation that remains available to humanity. Others argue that, because it is trapped, hope may be presented as another limitation or delayed expectation.
The Greek word elpis can mean expectation as well as hope, so translations and interpretations differ in emphasis. Still, “hope” is the standard answer in English-language retellings. The famous detail is distinct from later additions that list the released evils individually.