Elpida (Ancient Greek “elpís/ἐλπῐ́ς”: expectation, hope)

Elpida (Ancient Greek “elpís/ἐλπῐ́ς”: expectation, hope)

The word derives from the ancient Greek verb elpō, meaning to anticipate, to welcome properly and the expectation of what is certain.

In Greek mythology, Elpis was the personified spirit of hope and the daughter of the primordial deity Nyx. She was the mother of Pheme, goddess of fame and rumor.

Elpis together with the spirits of all physical and emotional curses (diseases, wars, hunger etc) were trapped by Zeus in a box, which was given to the husband of the first mortal woman, Pandora.

Driven by her great curiosity, Pandora opened the box unleashing all the evils upon mankind. Realizing her great mistake she managed to reseal the box keeping Elpis in its bottom, whose purpose is to comfort humans.

She was depicted as a young woman, usually carrying flowers or a cornucopia in her hands. Her name till today means Hope in Greek, something well needed by us all!