In Greek mythology, Prometheus warned his brother Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus before Pandora arrived.
Prometheus is associated with foresight, while Epimetheus is associated with afterthought; their names reflect that contrast. After Prometheus stole fire for humanity, Zeus sent Pandora as part of his punishment. Prometheus understood that a gift from Zeus could conceal danger and advised Epimetheus to reject it.
Epimetheus ignored the warning and accepted Pandora. In Hesiod’s telling, Pandora then opened the container that released the troubles affecting human life. This makes the brothers’ contrasting judgment central to the story’s structure.
The warning is sometimes omitted from modern summaries, which focus only on Pandora and the jar. Remembering it clarifies that the myth includes a deliberate divine scheme and a failure of caution before Pandora’s famous act.