What modern English phrase comes from the myth of Pandora’s jar?

The modern English phrase that comes from Pandora’s jar is “Pandora’s box.” It describes a source of many unforeseen problems released by one action, especially when something apparently harmless is opened or investigated.

Hesiod’s original Greek story describes a pithos, a large storage jar, rather than a box. The box wording became established after a Renaissance-era translation associated the vessel with a Latin term that could mean a container or box. Popular art and retellings then reinforced the familiar image.

In the myth, opening the container releases evils into the world, while hope remains inside. The modern idiom usually emphasizes the dangers of starting a complicated process, not the ancient question of whether hope was a consolation or another withheld experience.

The phrase is now used in journalism, science, politics, and everyday speech. It is often confused with “Trojan horse,” but that expression means a hidden threat disguised as a gift, whereas “Pandora’s box” focuses on consequences unleashed after opening something.