Elpis is the Greek name often translated as “Hope” in Pandora’s myth.
In Hesiod’s account, Pandora closes the container before Elpis escapes. The Greek word elpis can mean expectation, anticipation, or hope, so translators and interpreters have debated the precise significance of the figure left inside. In the familiar English version, hope remains after the other troubles have gone out into the world.
The story does not give one universally settled explanation of why hope is kept inside. Some readers view its presence as a consolation for humanity, while others note that the myth’s wording permits more complicated interpretations. Elpis should not be confused with Nike, the personification of victory, or Nemesis, associated with retribution. The name belongs specifically to the concept connected with expectation or hope.