In the Greek myth of Pandora, hope was left inside the container after the other troubles escaped.
Hesiod’s account says that Pandora opens the container and that evils spread among humanity. Hope remains inside, described as the one thing still held under the container’s rim. This image became one of the most enduring elements associated with the story.
The passage has prompted long-running interpretation. Some readers view hope as a comfort preserved for humans, while others note that Hesiod’s wording can support a more complicated reading because hope is kept inside rather than released. The myth itself does not provide a modern psychological explanation.
The familiar expression “hope at the bottom of Pandora’s box” comes from later retellings and translations. Strictly speaking, Hesiod’s original object is a jar, not a box, and the exact moral emphasis can vary between interpretations.