Which of the ancient Greek poet Hesiod’s works contains the story of Pandora’s jar?

Hesiod’s Works and Days contains the story of Pandora’s jar.

Works and Days is a didactic poem traditionally attributed to Hesiod, an ancient Greek poet usually dated to the late eighth or early seventh century BCE. The poem combines advice about farming, justice, labor, and proper conduct with myths explaining humanity’s difficult condition. Pandora appears in this moral and social framework rather than in a standalone tale.

Hesiod also wrote the Theogony, which gives a genealogical account of the gods. The Theogony mentions Pandora-related material but does not provide the same complete narrative of the jar and the release of evils found in Works and Days. That distinction is important when identifying the source of the familiar story.

The poem’s title reflects its practical purpose: “works” concerns labor, while “days” includes a calendar of auspicious and inauspicious times. Pandora’s story supports the poem’s broader explanation of why human life includes toil and suffering.