In the Pandora myth, what object did Prometheus warn Epimetheus not to accept?

In the Pandora myth, Prometheus warned Epimetheus not to accept a gift from Zeus. Prometheus understood that Zeus’s gift was intended to punish humanity after the theft of fire.

Prometheus and Epimetheus were brothers among the Titans. Their names are often interpreted as referring to forethought and afterthought: Prometheus is associated with planning ahead, while Epimetheus acts after events have occurred. This contrast explains why Prometheus recognizes the danger but Epimetheus eventually accepts Pandora.

Hesiod’s account presents Pandora as the gift sent by Zeus. Epimetheus ignores his brother’s warning and takes her into his home. The myth then links Pandora with the release of suffering from the sealed container.

The warning is sometimes retold as “never accept Pandora,” but the older story frames it more broadly as a warning against gifts from Zeus. That wording matters because Pandora is introduced as a divine gift before the container is opened.