In Hesiod’s Pandora story, Pandora joined Epimetheus as his companion.
Epimetheus is a Titan whose name is commonly explained as “afterthought” or “hindsight,” contrasting with his brother Prometheus, whose name suggests forethought. Hesiod presents Pandora as arriving at his dwelling after Zeus has arranged her creation and gifts. Although Prometheus warns Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus, Epimetheus receives Pandora.
That decision connects the household scene to the release of the evils from the jar. In the traditional narrative, Pandora opens the container, and the evils escape into the human world. Hope remains inside after the lid is replaced or the opening is closed, depending on the interpretation of the passage.
Epimetheus is sometimes incorrectly identified as Pandora’s creator or as the person who stole fire. Those roles belong to Hephaestus and Prometheus respectively. Epimetheus is the recipient who accepts Zeus’s gift despite his brother’s warning.