Elpis is the Greek word for the hope that remained inside Pandora’s container.
In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Pandora lifts the lid and the troubles that afflict humanity escape. The text then says that only Elpis remains inside, because Pandora closes the lid before it can leave. Elpis is commonly translated as “hope,” though the episode has prompted debate about whether its presence is comforting, limited, or ambiguous.
The myth does not clearly state that Pandora intentionally preserves hope for humanity. It simply describes Elpis as still within the vessel when the lid is shut. Later interpretations often turn this detail into a reassuring conclusion: although suffering has spread through the world, hope remains available.
Elpis is not the name of a goddess in this passage. It is a Greek personification or concept associated with expectation and hope, and its role has been interpreted differently by ancient and modern readers.