In Greek mythology, Epimetheus received Pandora despite his brother Prometheus’s warning.
Prometheus had cautioned Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus, but Epimetheus welcomed Pandora into his home. Hesiod presents this decision as part of Zeus’s punishment of humanity after Prometheus took fire for mortals.
The brothers’ names help explain their contrasting roles. Prometheus is commonly interpreted as “forethought,” while Epimetheus is associated with “afterthought.” Their actions in the story fit that contrast: Prometheus anticipates danger, whereas Epimetheus recognizes the danger only after accepting Zeus’s gift.
Epimetheus is not the same figure as Prometheus, although the two are brothers and Titans in Greek mythology. In some later retellings, Pandora becomes Epimetheus’s wife, but the central point is his acceptance of her after the warning.