In the myth of Pandora’s box, Hope was the one thing left inside after the evils escaped.
Hesiod’s account says Pandora opened the container given to her by Zeus, releasing diseases, toil, and other troubles into the human world. She then replaced the lid before the final occupant could leave. The Greek word used in the story is elpis, commonly translated as “hope.”
The myth does not present hope in exactly the same way as every modern retelling. Some interpretations treat it as a comfort deliberately preserved for humanity, while others ask why hope was kept inside a container of evils. Hesiod’s wording allows debate about whether hope is a blessing, a withheld promise, or simply the last thing remaining.
The familiar expression “opening Pandora’s box” comes from later adaptations of the story. It means beginning a chain of problems that is difficult to stop, although modern usage often leaves out the story’s final element.