Zeus ordered Hephaestus to create Pandora and Pandora's Box (the pithos) as punishment for humanity after Prometheus stole fire. All the gods contributed gifts to make Pandora irresistible.
In Hesiod's Works and Days, when Pandora opened Pandora's Box, Elpis alone remained trapped beneath the lid while all other evils escaped into the world.
Epimetheus received Pandora as his bride despite Prometheus's warnings, bringing Pandora's Box into his household. His failure to heed his brother's counsel allowed Zeus's trap to reach humanity.
Pandora opened Pandora's Box — originally a pithos (jar) — and released all evils into the world, with only Elpis (Hope) remaining trapped inside. The jar was created alongside Pandora on Zeus's orders as the vessel of humanity's suffering.
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