In Hesiod’s account of Pandora, hope remained inside the jar after the evils escaped.
The detail appears in the story’s closing moment: Pandora replaces the lid after the contents have flown out, and only hope remains within. This ending has produced centuries of debate because readers disagree about whether hope is presented as a blessing preserved for humanity or as another thing withheld.
The Greek word involved is elpis, commonly translated as “hope.” Its meaning in ancient Greek can be broader than modern optimism, including expectation or anticipation. That range makes the passage difficult to interpret with complete certainty, but hope is the conventional English answer.
The familiar phrase “Pandora’s box” often focuses only on released troubles. The surviving hope is what gives the myth its more balanced ending and helps explain why the story remains culturally influential.