. Pandora opened a jar left in his care containing sickness, death and many other unspecified evils which were then released into the world.[4] Though she hastened to close the container, only one thing was left behind – usually translated as Hope, though it could also have the pessimistic meaning of "deceptive expectation".[5]

From this story has grown the idiom "to open (a) Pandora's box", meaning to do or start something that will cause many unforeseen problems.[6] Its modern, more colloquial equivalent is "to open a can of worms".[7]