Hope remained inside after Pandora closed the container in the Greek myth of Pandora’s Box.
When Pandora lifts the lid, the contents escape into the world as afflictions that had previously been absent from human life. She shuts the vessel before the final occupant can leave. Hesiod identifies that remaining occupant as elpis, usually translated as hope.
The role of hope is debated because the myth does not make its meaning completely simple. Some readers see hope as a comfort preserved for humanity; others ask whether it is another force held back from humans. The Greek word can also carry meanings related to expectation, so translation affects interpretation.
The popular expression usually emphasizes the optimistic reading: even after suffering spreads, hope survives. That interpretation explains why “hope at the bottom of Pandora’s box” has become a familiar phrase in English literature and everyday speech.