In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Pandora received a jar, not a box.
The Greek word commonly translated as “jar” is pithos, a large storage vessel used in the ancient Mediterranean. Hesiod’s account says that Zeus gave Pandora a container and instructed her not to open it. When she did, the harmful troubles inside escaped into the world, while hope remained within.
The familiar expression “Pandora’s box” arose much later through translation and artistic tradition. The Renaissance humanist Erasmus translated the Greek vessel using the Latin word pyxis, meaning a small box or container, helping establish the wording that became standard in European languages.
The distinction matters because a pithos was generally a substantial storage jar, often used for grain, oil, or wine. Ancient Greek vase paintings and modern illustrations frequently show a smaller box, reflecting the later phrase rather than Hesiod’s original object.