Works and Days contains the fullest ancient Greek account of Pandora opening her container.
Works and Days is a didactic poem traditionally attributed to Hesiod. Alongside advice about farming, justice, work, and seasonal timing, it includes the story of Pandora and the consequences of her arrival among humans. The poem identifies the container, describes the escape of evils, and explains the place of hope.
Hesiod’s Theogony also refers to Pandora, but it does not provide the same complete narrative of the opening episode. This difference matters when identifying the earliest literary source for particular details of the myth.
The poem’s larger theme is the difficult condition of human life. Pandora’s story helps explain why labor, disease, and other troubles exist, while the surrounding advice argues that disciplined work and justice are necessary responses. The myth is therefore part of a broader moral and social poem, not an isolated fairy tale.