In Hesiod’s Greek myth of Pandora, Epimetheus receives the container after Pandora arrives among humans. Epimetheus is the brother of Prometheus and is traditionally associated with hindsight, while Prometheus is associated with foresight.
Prometheus warns Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus, but Epimetheus ignores the warning and takes Pandora into his household. In Works and Days, Pandora’s arrival forms part of Zeus’s punishment for Prometheus stealing fire and giving it to humanity. The myth thus links the container’s opening to Epimetheus’s failure to heed advice.
Hesiod does not use the modern phrase “Pandora’s box.” The original Greek story describes a large jar or storage vessel, which Pandora opens after entering Epimetheus’s home. The container releases evils into the world, while hope remains inside.
Epimetheus is sometimes incorrectly named as a Titan in simplified accounts. He is a son of the Titans Iapetus and Clymene in Hesiod’s genealogy, but the important point in this episode is his role as Pandora’s recipient and companion, not the title commonly attached to Zeus or Prometheus.