In Pandora’s myth, evils escaped after she opened the container. Hesiod describes the vessel as holding destructive troubles that had previously been kept away from humanity.
The myth explains why human life includes pain, disease, toil, and other hardships. Once Pandora lifts the lid, these evils leave the container and spread through the world. The story is therefore an origin explanation for suffering rather than simply a warning about curiosity.
The exact contents are described differently across later retellings. Modern versions often list specific evils, while Hesiod’s account uses broader language for the miseries that afflict human beings.
Hope is treated separately in the story. It remains inside the container when Pandora closes it, which led later readers to debate whether hope is presented as a blessing, an evil, or a final consolation.