Hesiod gives the fullest surviving ancient Greek account of Pandora’s jar.
Hesiod was an early Greek poet generally dated to the late eighth or early seventh century BCE. His Works and Days contains the best-known narrative: Zeus has Pandora created, she joins Epimetheus, and she opens the vessel containing destructive forces and hope.
Hesiod also refers to Pandora in the Theogony, although that work provides less narrative detail about the jar itself. These poems are the principal ancient literary sources for the myth, so later summaries are usually based on Hesiod rather than on a lost complete story by Homer.
The myth is connected in Works and Days with explanations for why human life includes labor and suffering. Because Hesiod’s account is concise, later poets, painters, translators, and writers have added details that are not present in the original. The common image of a small decorated box is especially a later development.