In Greek mythology, Pandora’s husband was Epimetheus. He was the brother of Prometheus, the Titan who had taken fire from the gods and given it to humanity.
The names Prometheus and Epimetheus reflect contrasting qualities. Prometheus is associated with foresight, while Epimetheus is associated with afterthought. Prometheus warned Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus, but Epimetheus accepted Pandora when she arrived. In Hesiod’s story, Pandora later opened the container and released the evils held inside.
Epimetheus is often remembered mainly as Pandora’s husband, but he has a wider place in Greek mythology. With Pandora, he became the father of Pyrrha in later mythological traditions. Pyrrha and Deucalion survive a catastrophic flood and repopulate the world in a separate but connected Greek creation story. A common mix-up is to name Prometheus as Pandora’s husband; Prometheus is her husband’s brother and the figure whose theft of fire helps explain Zeus’s punishment.