In Hesiod’s Pandora myth, hope remained inside the jar after Pandora released the other troubles.
Works and Days says that Pandora opened the container and released the evils that afflict humanity. She then replaced the lid before Hope could leave. This detail has produced centuries of debate because it can suggest either that hope was preserved for humans or that it was withheld from them.
The Greek word involved is elpis, often translated as “hope,” though its meaning can also include expectation or anticipation. That range makes the ending more complicated than the simple modern idea that hope is a reassuring gift.
The myth does not originally say that Pandora opened a box. Hesiod’s account uses a pithos, a large storage jar. “Pandora’s box” became the standard expression after later retellings and translation choices.