Which ancient Greek poem tells the main story of Pandora opening the container?

Works and Days tells the main story of Pandora opening the container. The poem is attributed to Hesiod, an early Greek poet whose works are among the oldest surviving pieces of Greek literature.

Works and Days is not solely a mythological narrative. It combines advice about farming, justice, labor, seasonal timing, and proper conduct with stories explaining the human condition. Pandora’s creation and the release of evils appear in this broader discussion of why life involves hardship and why work is necessary.

Hesiod also mentions Pandora in the Theogony, but the detailed account of her creation, marriage to Epimetheus, and container appears in Works and Days. Readers sometimes name Theogony because it is another famous Hesiodic poem, yet the two works have different emphases. Works and Days is therefore the clearest ancient literary source for the familiar Pandora episode.