In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Pandora’s husband is Epimetheus. His name is commonly interpreted as “afterthought,” contrasting with his brother Prometheus, whose name is associated with forethought.
Epimetheus accepts Pandora despite Prometheus’s warning not to receive gifts from Zeus. Hesiod’s narrative connects this decision with the opening of the vessel that releases troubles into the human world. Pandora is therefore not presented as acting alone in the broader sequence: her arrival follows divine creation, and Epimetheus’s choice brings her into his household.
The myth is often simplified into a story about Pandora opening a box, with Epimetheus omitted. In Hesiod, however, the brothers form an important contrast. Prometheus is the benefactor who steals fire for humanity, while Epimetheus is remembered for accepting Zeus’s gift after being warned. Later writers and artists vary details, but Epimetheus remains Pandora’s husband in the standard Hesiodic account.