Pandora's Box Myth

Did you know Pandora was the "First Woman" in Greek mythology?

She was brought into a world inhabited only by gods, goddesses, and human males. In this aspect, as an original woman bringing trouble into the world, her story is similar to that of Eve.

Interesting Fact: Pandora's name means the "one who gives all gifts" and actually has a positive connotation. In earliest times, she may have been perceived as a bountiful earth goddess whose gifts were all good.

What was the box tale about?

Zeus, upset with the brothers Prometheus and Epimetheus for having successfully brought fire to humankind, making for all those annoying sparkling lights on the ground at night, decides to even things up by introducing disease, death, and sorrow to humankind.

In the original tale these things are held in a jar, not a box. He orders Pandora to be created and gives her as a gift to Epimetheus, brother of Prometheus. She is told to never open her jar, but the gods and goddesses have also made her curious.

Eventually, she opens the jar, which in some versions was not given to her by Zeus, but was instead kept locked up by Epimetheus,who did not want humankind to suffer. But in either case, the vessel is opened. Pandora realizes what she has done, but cannot slam the lid back on fast enough. The only thing left in the jar is Elpis, or Hope.

Apparently, the Greeks considered hope to be as dangerous as all the world's evils. But without hope to accompany all their troubles, humanity was filled with despair. It was a great relief when Pandora revisited her box and let out hope as well.

It may be worthy to note that in the story, hope is represented as weakly leaving the box but is in effect far more potent than any of the major evils.
There are several variants to Pandora's tale, more than the usual for . In one, Zeus actually sends her with great gifts for mankind rather than evils.

From this tale "Hope is the last thing you loose"

Source: Pandora's Myth on About.com