Greek Mythology
Pandora's Jar — Greek Mythology
Pandora's Jar is the dangerous vessel in the Greek myth Pandora. It came to the house of Epimetheus with Pandora, whom Zeus sent to humankind. After Pandora opened it, disease, toil, hunger, sorrow, old age, and many other sufferings scattered into the world, while only hope remained at the bottom of the jar.
Origin Story
Pandora's Jar appears in Zeus's plan to punish humankind. After Prometheus steals fire, human life becomes prosperous, and Zeus grows angry. He orders the gods to shape Pandora together and sends her to Epimetheus. The jar enters the human world along with Pandora, is later opened by her, and becomes the key vessel through which evils enter human life.
Powers
Pandora's Jar can seal and release evils. When it is opened, disease, toil, hunger, sorrow, old age, and invisible sufferings fly out from it and cover the human world. It also preserves hope, giving people support to continue living after disaster. Its symbolic function is that of a dangerous gift, divine punishment, and the origin of human suffering.
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What it is
Pandora's Jar is a vessel that holds evils. It is not an ordinary household container, but part of the dangerous gift arranged by Zeus in his revenge against humankind. In the story, Prometheus steals fire to help humans, and Zeus answers by sending Pandora; the jar comes with her and becomes the starting point of disaster in human life.
Possession and opening
The jar is often linked with Pandora. After Epimetheus accepts Pandora, she opens the jar. The evils inside immediately fly out and scatter across the earth, the sea, and human houses. When she hastily closes the lid, hope remains at the bottom of the jar. From then on, humans no longer possess a life free from disaster, and can only hold on to hope amid labor, sickness, and old age.
Variant accounts and reliability
Pandora explicitly describes the object as a “jar” and states that it came with Pandora. The story confirms the kinds of disasters that fly out of the jar, and also confirms that hope remains at the bottom. No story clearly states who made the jar, or who kept it before Pandora opened it. The safer account is that it belongs among the objects that appeared together with Pandora, the dangerous gift sent by Zeus.