In Hesiod’s *Works and Days*, Pandora kept hope inside the container after opening it. The poem says that the other troubles escaped into the world, while hope remained within the vessel.
This ending has prompted centuries of interpretation. Some readers view hope as humanity’s consolation because it remains available despite suffering. Others note that the Greek term, elpis, can mean expectation or anticipation and is not automatically positive. The text itself does not provide a simple modern moral explanation.
The common phrase “hope remained” is also frequently misremembered as “hope escaped.” The earliest surviving literary account specifically places it inside the container. Later versions, translations, and artistic adaptations may simplify or alter the ending, but the Hesiodic wording is the basis for the standard answer.