Works and Days is the Hesiod poem that gives the fullest early account of Pandora’s vessel. It presents the story while discussing labor, justice, farming, and the difficult conditions of human life.
Hesiod also mentions Pandora in the Theogony, but the narrative there is shorter and focuses on her role in the chain of events following Prometheus’s conflict with Zeus. Works and Days supplies the better-known details: Pandora’s creation, the divine gifts she receives, the opening of the vessel, the escape of evils, and the fate of Hope.
The poem is generally dated to the late eighth or early seventh century BCE, although exact dates remain debated. It is not a novel or a continuous mythological narrative; instead, it combines instruction, moral reflection, practical advice, and myths that explain the human condition.