In Greek mythology, Epimetheus is Pandora’s husband, and his name is commonly translated as “afterthought.”
Epimetheus is the brother of Prometheus. Their names form a deliberate contrast: Prometheus is associated with forethought, while Epimetheus is associated with thinking afterward. In Hesiod’s account, Prometheus warns Epimetheus not to accept a gift from Zeus, but Epimetheus takes Pandora into his home despite that warning.
Pandora’s arrival is part of Zeus’s punishment of humanity after Prometheus gives fire to mortals. Epimetheus’s failure to heed the warning helps the myth develop its theme of consequences following an ill-considered decision.
Epimetheus is not the same figure as Deucalion, who survives the later flood myth with Pyrrha. The “afterthought” translation is especially useful because it distinguishes Epimetheus from his better-known brother and explains the brothers’ contrasting roles.