Elpis is the Greek name for the personification of hope associated with Pandora’s myth. In Hesiod’s account, Elpis remains in the container after other evils escape into the human world.
Elpis is not simply an abstract modern idea: Greek mythology treats her as a personified quality, much like Nike represents victory and Nemesis represents retribution. Her presence gives the story an ambiguous conclusion. Hope may be understood as a blessing preserved for humans, or as something withheld from them inside the sealed vessel.
The word “hope” is often used in English retellings without naming Elpis. That omission can make the myth seem less connected to the wider Greek tradition of personifying emotions and moral forces. The precise interpretation of Elpis’s position remains debated because Hesiod does not explain it directly.