In Greek mythology, Epimetheus accepts Pandora despite a warning from his brother Prometheus. The episode appears in Hesiod’s account of Pandora’s arrival and helps explain the brothers’ contrasting characters.
Prometheus warns Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus because Zeus is punishing humanity after the theft of fire. Epimetheus, whose name is commonly interpreted as “afterthought,” accepts Pandora anyway. She later opens the container that releases troubles into the human world.
Epimetheus is often presented as the opposite of Prometheus. Prometheus is linked with foresight, while Epimetheus is linked with thinking afterward. This contrast is built into their names and gives the myth a memorable explanation for why the warning fails.
Epimetheus is Pandora’s husband, not her creator. He is also not the Titan who steals fire: that is Prometheus. Their relationship is central to the myth’s sequence, because Pandora enters human society through Epimetheus rather than arriving alone.