Elpis is the Greek name commonly translated as “hope” in Hesiod’s Pandora story.
The word elpis refers broadly to expectation or hope, and its meaning in the Pandora passage has attracted debate. After the harmful forces leave the jar, elpis remains inside. Popular interpretations treat this as humanity’s enduring consolation, but the short ancient passage does not spell out whether hope is purely beneficial or why it is retained.
Elpis is also personified in Greek tradition as a figure associated with hope. In classical art and later interpretation, she may appear among personifications of abstract qualities, although the Pandora story itself is the most famous context for the word.
The name should not be confused with Nemesis, Eris, or Dike. Those figures represent different concepts: retribution, strife, and justice. Their presence in Greek mythology reflects the broader practice of personifying forces that shape human life.