In the Greek myth of Pandora’s box, who received Pandora into his home?

Epimetheus received Pandora into his home in Hesiod’s Greek myth of Pandora’s box.

Epimetheus was a Titan and the brother of Prometheus. His name is commonly explained as meaning “afterthought,” contrasting with Prometheus, whose name is associated with forethought. This contrast supports the myth’s moral pattern: Epimetheus accepts Zeus’s gift despite his brother’s warning.

Prometheus had advised Epimetheus not to accept gifts from Zeus. Epimetheus nevertheless welcomed Pandora, who had been created and sent by the gods. In the household, Pandora eventually opened the sealed container, releasing illnesses, toil, and other forms of suffering into the human world.

Later retellings often say that Pandora married Epimetheus, but the question of marriage is separate from the specific scene in which he receives her. The earliest surviving account emphasizes that Epimetheus accepted Zeus’s gift and that Pandora became part of his household. Prometheus’s role is also different: he is the fire-bringer whose conflict with Zeus precedes Pandora’s creation.