In Greek mythology, to whom did Zeus send Pandora as a bride?

In Greek mythology, Zeus sent Pandora as a bride to Epimetheus. Epimetheus was a Titan associated with afterthought and the consequences of decisions, while his brother Prometheus represented forethought.

Prometheus had warned Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus, but Epimetheus welcomed Pandora. In Hesiod’s account, Pandora brought the vessel whose opening released troubles into human life. This connects the marriage story to the wider myth of Zeus’s punishment after Prometheus stole fire for humanity.

The names are significant: Prometheus can be understood as “forethought,” and Epimetheus as “afterthought.” Their contrast makes Epimetheus’s acceptance of Pandora part of the myth’s moral structure. He acts first and recognizes the danger afterward.

Pandora and Epimetheus are sometimes confused with Prometheus and Pandora because Prometheus is the better-known figure in the fire story. Hesiod’s genealogy, however, identifies Epimetheus—not Prometheus—as Pandora’s husband.