In the Greek myth of Pandora’s box, Pandora left hope inside the container after the evils escaped.
Hesiod’s Works and Days says that Zeus arranged for Pandora to receive a sealed storage jar containing countless troubles. When she opened it, the harmful things flew out and spread among humanity. Pandora then replaced the lid, but one thing remained inside: elpis, conventionally translated into English as “hope.”
The ending has prompted centuries of debate. Some readers see hope as a comfort deliberately preserved for humans; others note that Hesiod’s wording and the nature of elpis allow a more ambiguous interpretation. Modern retellings usually present hope as the positive quality that survives catastrophe.
The familiar English phrase “Pandora’s box” is itself based on a translation mistake or adaptation. Hesiod used the Greek word pithos, meaning a large storage jar, not a small box. The box image became standard through later European retellings.