Epimetheus became Pandora’s husband in the Greek myth after Prometheus warned him not to accept gifts from Zeus.
Epimetheus was a Titan and the brother of Prometheus. His name is commonly interpreted as relating to afterthought, in contrast with Prometheus’s association with forethought. When Pandora was sent among humans, Prometheus’s warning did not prevent Epimetheus from receiving her, and she became his wife.
In Hesiod’s account, Pandora’s arrival forms part of Zeus’s punishment of humanity after Prometheus stole fire. The myth links the brothers through contrasting judgment: Prometheus anticipates danger, while Epimetheus recognizes consequences afterward. Their pairing is one reason Epimetheus is central to the Pandora story even though he does not open the vessel.
Epimetheus is sometimes confused with Deucalion, a later figure connected with the flood myth. Deucalion is described in Greek tradition as a son of Prometheus, not as Pandora’s husband.