In Hesiod’s Greek myth, hope was left inside Pandora’s container after the evils escaped.
The story appears in Hesiod’s Works and Days, an ancient Greek poem usually dated to the seventh or eighth century BCE. Zeus has Pandora bring a sealed storage vessel into the human world. When it is opened, destructive forces escape and spread among humanity. The Greek word used at the end of the story is elpis, commonly translated as “hope.”
The myth does not clearly say whether hope remained inside as a protection for humans or was prevented from escaping along with the evils. That ambiguity has produced centuries of debate. Some interpretations treat hope as a blessing preserved for humanity; others point out that it is still located inside the container.
Hesiod’s original object was a jar or storage vessel, not specifically a modern box. The “box” wording became standard later through translation and retelling.