In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Pandora’s husband was Epimetheus. His name is commonly interpreted as “afterthought,” contrasting with the name Prometheus, often understood as “forethought.”
Prometheus warned Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus, but Epimetheus accepted Pandora when she was sent among humans. In the myth’s moral structure, this decision helps explain why the release of suffering follows the divine punishment of Prometheus and humanity.
Epimetheus is sometimes mistakenly identified as Pandora’s creator or as the figure who opened the jar. Those roles belong elsewhere in the story. The gods fashion and adorn Pandora, while Pandora opens the vessel; Epimetheus is the human figure who receives and marries her. Hesiod’s account is the main ancient literary source for these relationships.