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Elpis   Spes    

Elpis, the Spirit of Hope, would not abandon humanity. Hope does not leave without being given permission. She can only be released by a child of man.

Prometheus, about Elpis, to Percy Jackson, in The Last Olympian

Elpis is the primordial god and spirit of hope. She currently resides in Pandora's Pithos. Her Roman counterpart is Spes.

History[]

Pandora's Pithos

Pandora's pithos

After Prometheus gave fire to humans, Elpis was placed by Zeus in Pandora's Pithos, along evil spirits. When Pandora opened the jar and its contents were unleashed onto the world, Elpis was the only remaining benevolent spirit, staying with humanity so they wouldn't give up hope.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians[]

The Last Olympian[]

When Prometheus was enlisted to organize a truce between the demigods and Titans for a peaceful end to the fighting, he had Pandora's Pithos in his possession. When Percy Jackson refused, Prometheus gave him the jar so that when he was ready to surrender, all he had to do was release her, symbolically "giving up hope."

Though Percy was tempted to throughout the entire battle, Elpis was never released. In the end, he gave her to Hestia for safekeeping because "hope survives best at the hearth." Hestia has since retained guardianship of the pithos.

Trivia[]

  • Percy speculates that Zeus had some sense of shame by having Elpis be the sole good spirit amongst the evil ones in Pandora's Pithos.[1]

References[]

  1. Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, You Gotta Love Aphrodite
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Core Series: The Lightning Thief | The Sea of Monsters | The Titan's Curse | The Battle of the Labyrinth | The Last Olympian
Main Characters: Percy Jackson | Grover Underwood | Annabeth Chase | Tyson | Clarisse La Rue | Thalia Grace | Nico di Angelo | Chiron | Luke Castellan | Rachel Elizabeth Dare
Secondary Characters: Sally Jackson | Travis Stoll | Connor Stoll | Mrs. O'Leary | Silena Beauregard | Charles Beckendorf | Paul Blofis | Blackjack | Zoë Nightshade | Bianca di Angelo | Juniper | Ethan Nakamura | Daedalus
Minor Characters: Gabe Ugliano | Argus | Tantalus | Hylla Ramírez-Arellano | Frederick Chase | Michael Yew | May Castellan | Austin Lake | Kayla Knowles | Maria di Angelo | Will Solace | Elevator Security Guard
Olympian Gods: Zeus | Hera | Poseidon | Demeter | Ares | Athena | Apollo | Artemis | Hephaestus | Aphrodite | Hermes | Dionysus | Hades | Hestia
Minor Gods: Amphitrite | Ariadne | Ganymede | Hecate | Iris | Janus | Morpheus | Nemesis | Pan | Phobos | Deimos | Persephone | Triton
Titans: Kronos | Atlas | Calypso | Iapetus | Krios | Hyperion | Oceanus | Prometheus
Mythical Creatures: Minotaur | Centaur | Furies | Satyr | Cyclops | Manticore | Ophiotaurus | Nemean Lion | Empousa
Related Content: Rick Riordan | Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief | Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters | The Demigod Files | Demigods and Monsters | The Ultimate Guide | The Heroes of Olympus | The Trials of Apollo | Percy Jackson Demigod Collection | The Lightning Thief: Illustrated Edition | Disney+ Series
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