Pandora opened the container that released evils in the Greek myth of Pandora. Zeus sent her to Epimetheus, who accepted her despite Prometheus’s warning never to receive gifts from the gods.
Once the vessel was opened, harmful forces escaped into the human world. Hesiod lists destructive conditions such as disease, toil, and misery spreading among mortals. Pandora quickly replaced the lid, leaving one thing inside.
The myth does not present Pandora as acting with a modern criminal motive. She is curious, divinely fashioned, and placed in a trap designed by Zeus. Later interpretations debate whether the story blames her, explains why suffering exists, or reflects ancient Greek ideas about women, work, and divine punishment.