Elpis is the Greek word for “hope” used for the final thing left in Pandora’s container.
In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Pandora closes the vessel before elpis escapes. Translators generally render the word as “hope,” creating the familiar conclusion that hope remains available even after suffering enters the world.
The interpretation is not completely simple. Ancient Greek elpis can mean expectation or anticipation, and scholars have debated whether Hesiod presents it as a blessing, a deceptive expectation, or something intentionally held back. Modern moral readings usually treat it as humanity’s consolation.
Knowing the Greek term also helps distinguish the original text from later English versions. Hesiod describes a pithos, or jar, and uses elpis for what remains inside. The English expression “Pandora’s box” and the positive slogan about hope are both influential later traditions built around the archaic poem.