Epimetheus was Pandora’s husband or companion when she opened the forbidden container.
Epimetheus was a Titan and the brother of Prometheus. His name is commonly understood as “afterthought,” contrasting with Prometheus, whose name is associated with foresight. This contrast reflects their mythic roles: Epimetheus acts or accepts first and recognizes consequences later.
Zeus sent Pandora to Epimetheus after Pandora had been fashioned by the gods. Prometheus had warned his brother not to accept gifts from Zeus, but Epimetheus accepted Pandora anyway. In later retellings, Pandora opens the container while living with him, releasing sickness, toil, grief, and other troubles.
Epimetheus is sometimes mistakenly replaced by Prometheus because the two figures are brothers and their stories are closely connected. Prometheus did not marry Pandora in the standard Greek account. The relationship between Pandora and Epimetheus is central to identifying the correct version of the myth.