Evils were released when Pandora opened the jar in Hesiod’s myth.
The contents represent the troubles that afflict human life, including disease, hardship, and suffering. Hesiod describes them as previously contained and then scattered among humanity after Pandora removes the lid.
The story is often summarized as the origin of evil, although the ancient poem is more specific about misery entering human existence than about constructing a complete philosophical theory of evil. The jar’s opening marks a transition from a different human condition to one defined by unavoidable troubles.
Hope remains in the vessel when Pandora closes it, according to the standard reading. Later adaptations sometimes describe hope as escaping, but that is not the usual account of Hesiod’s ending. The phrase “opening Pandora’s box” now means triggering many unexpected problems.