In Greek mythology, Prometheus warned his brother Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus. Prometheus had already angered Zeus by stealing fire and giving it to humanity, so he understood that a divine gift could conceal a punishment. His warning reflects his role as humanity’s protector and benefactor.
Epimetheus ignored the advice and accepted Pandora, whom Zeus sent as part of the punishment connected with the theft of fire. The names themselves create a contrast: Prometheus is associated with forethought, while Epimetheus is associated with afterthought. The myth uses their opposing qualities to explain why the warning was offered but not followed.
This episode is sometimes confused with later stories in which Pandora is blamed independently. In Hesiod’s narrative, however, Zeus’s plan, Prometheus’s warning, and Epimetheus’s acceptance form a connected sequence. Pandora’s opening of the jar then completes the myth’s explanation for humanity’s suffering.