In the Greek myth of Pandora, Pandora lifted the lid of the sealed container.
Hesiod describes Pandora as the first woman and as a figure sent into the household of Epimetheus. She is associated with the opening of the storage jar that contained destructive forces affecting human life. The myth therefore explains why troubles exist while also introducing Pandora as a central figure in the story of humanity’s condition.
A common confusion comes from later retellings, which often turn the original jar into a small box and sometimes make the opening sound like a deliberate act of malice. Hesiod’s account is more compressed and does not provide the elaborate curiosity speech found in many modern adaptations. The act is still conventionally attributed to Pandora.
Epimetheus, whose name means “afterthought,” accepted Pandora despite Prometheus’s warning not to accept gifts from Zeus. That contrast between forethought and afterthought is an important part of the surrounding myth, although it is separate from identifying who opened the container.