In Greek mythology, who was Epimetheus, the man who received Pandora?

In Greek mythology, Epimetheus was Prometheus’s brother, and he received Pandora.

The two figures belong to the Titan family in Greek myth. Their names are often explained as contrasting kinds of thought: Prometheus is associated with forethought, while Epimetheus is associated with afterthought. That contrast helps characterize their roles in stories about humanity and divine punishment.

Zeus sends Pandora to Epimetheus as part of the punishment connected with Prometheus’s theft of fire. Although Prometheus warns his brother not to accept gifts from Zeus, Epimetheus takes Pandora into his household. The jar episode follows from that decision.

Epimetheus is sometimes mistaken for Pandora’s father, husband in every version, or merely an unnamed human. Hesiod identifies him as Prometheus’s brother and presents him as the recipient of Zeus’s gift. Later traditions develop the relationship differently, but the central myth keeps Epimetheus at the scene of Pandora’s arrival.