Hesiod gives the full surviving ancient Greek account of Pandora’s jar. His poem Works and Days describes Pandora’s creation, her arrival among humans, and the opening of the storage vessel that releases troubles into the world.
Hesiod was an early Greek poet traditionally dated to the late eighth or early seventh century BCE. Works and Days combines practical advice about farming and justice with mythological explanations, including the stories of Prometheus and Pandora.
Pandora is also mentioned in Hesiod’s Theogony, but that shorter reference does not provide the complete jar-opening episode. This is why the two poems are frequently confused in summaries of the myth.
The account is the basis for much later European literature and art. However, later versions alter important details, especially the vessel’s shape and the interpretation of hope. Hesiod’s text remains the central ancient source for the familiar narrative.