In the Greek myth of Pandora, Prometheus warns Epimetheus about accepting gifts from Zeus. The warning reflects Prometheus’s mistrust of Zeus after stealing fire for humanity.
Prometheus and Epimetheus are Titan brothers in Greek mythology. Their names are commonly explained through Greek word roots: Prometheus is linked with forethought, while Epimetheus is linked with afterthought. Hesiod uses that contrast to characterize the brothers in the story of Pandora.
Prometheus tells Epimetheus not to accept anything from Zeus. Epimetheus ignores the advice when Pandora arrives, and she becomes his wife. Hesiod’s account presents this decision as part of Zeus’s punishment for Prometheus’s theft of fire and for humanity’s possession of that divine resource.
A common mix-up is to treat Prometheus as Pandora’s creator or husband. In the myth, Zeus orders Pandora’s creation, Epimetheus receives her, and Prometheus is the brother who gives the warning. These roles are separate in Hesiod’s narrative.