Elpis

Elpis, from the Greek Ἐλπίς, is the personification of hope in ancient Greek mythology. The name simply means "hope" or "expectation" and she is typically treated as a minor deity rather than a major Olympian figure. In Hesiod and other Greek writers she is linked to Pandora and the myth of the jar or box that released evils into the world. According to the most common version, Pandora opened the container and all the evils flew out, but Hope remained inside, providing humans with consolation in hardship. The interpretation of this outcome varies: some readings see Hope as a positive, comforting force that helps humans endure suffering; others view it as a potentially misleading or precarious consolation that delays acceptance of reality.

Traditionally, Elpis is described as a daughter or companion of Nyx (Night), though genealogies vary by author and tradition. In ancient art and poetry she is sometimes depicted as a young woman holding a flower or another symbol of anticipation, emphasizing the aspirational aspect of human expectation.

In later antiquity and the classical tradition, Elpis became a symbol of human hope and resilience, and the concept was carried into modern literature and philosophy as an emblem of possibility amid adversity. The Roman counterpart is Spes.