Hesiod uses the Greek word elpis for the hope that remains with Pandora.
Elpis is the personification or concept of expectation and hope in Greek mythology. In the Pandora passage of Works and Days, it is the final named presence left inside the vessel after the evils have escaped. The word is important because its meaning is wider than the modern English word “hope.”
Depending on context, elpis can refer to expectation of either good or bad outcomes. That range has led to substantial debate about the story. Some interpreters see the remaining elpis as a blessing that allows humans to endure suffering, while others see its confinement as part of the punishment imposed on humanity.
Translations usually render elpis as “Hope,” which is accurate in a broad sense but can conceal the ancient word’s ambiguity. It is not the same as Nike, the goddess of victory, or Arete, the concept of excellence.