In Hesiod’s Pandora myth, which Titan’s name means “afterthought”?

In Hesiod’s Pandora myth, Epimetheus is the Titan whose name means “afterthought.”

Epimetheus is the brother of Prometheus and the husband of Pandora in the tradition told by Hesiod. His name is commonly contrasted with Prometheus, whose name is interpreted as “foresight.” That contrast explains his behavior: although Prometheus warns him not to accept gifts from Zeus, Epimetheus receives Pandora.

The name is not merely a label attached to an unrelated character. It helps organize the myth’s moral pattern. Prometheus anticipates danger, while Epimetheus recognizes the consequences only afterward. In the Works and Days, Pandora’s arrival leads to the release of troubles that had previously been hidden from humanity.

Epimetheus is sometimes confused with Prometheus because both are Titans and brothers. They are distinct figures, however, and the myth assigns them opposite kinds of judgment. Epimetheus’s role also connects Pandora’s creation to the wider Prometheus cycle rather than presenting the vessel episode in isolation.