Epimetheus is Pandora’s brother-in-law and the man who received her in Greek mythology.
Epimetheus is the brother of Prometheus, the Titan associated with stealing fire for humanity. Zeus sends Pandora to Epimetheus as part of the punishment connected with Prometheus’s defiance. Although Prometheus warns his brother not to accept gifts from Zeus, Epimetheus accepts Pandora.
The name Epimetheus is commonly interpreted as “afterthought” or “hindsight,” contrasting with Prometheus, whose name is associated with forethought. That contrast reinforces their opposing roles: Prometheus anticipates danger, while Epimetheus acts and understands afterward.
Epimetheus is not Pandora’s father or creator. He is her husband in Hesiod’s account, which makes Prometheus her brother-in-law. The jar episode follows Pandora’s arrival, although the precise details of how she opens it vary in later retellings.