Elpis is the Greek name for the personification of hope in Pandora’s story.
In Greek mythology, Elpis represents hope and is associated with the final element left in Pandora’s jar. Hesiod’s Works and Days uses the term when explaining that the jar’s harmful contents escaped, while Elpis remained inside after Pandora closed it.
Elpis is not the same figure as Nike, the goddess of victory, or Nemesis, the goddess associated with retribution. Eris, another frequently confused name, personifies strife and is linked to the golden apple story that helped provoke the Trojan War.
The meaning of Elpis in the Pandora episode is debated. Hope may be understood as humanity’s consolation amid suffering, but some interpretations ask why a beneficial force would be kept inside the jar. The ancient text gives the name and event without resolving that philosophical question.