What was the name of Pandora’s husband, whose name means “afterthought”?

The story behind the answer

Pandora’s husband was Epimetheus, whose name is commonly translated as “afterthought.” He was a Titan and the brother of Prometheus, whose name is associated with “forethought.”

The paired names create a clear symbolic contrast. Prometheus is portrayed as anticipating consequences, while Epimetheus recognizes them only afterward. In the Pandora story, that contrast appears when Epimetheus accepts Pandora despite Prometheus’s warning about gifts from Zeus.

Epimetheus is less prominent than Prometheus in surviving Greek myths, but he is essential to Pandora’s narrative. Without him, Pandora would not be placed in the household where the vessel is opened. His role also turns the myth into a story about judgment, trust, and consequences rather than merely a tale about curiosity.

Translations can vary slightly, including “hindsight” or “afterthought,” but Epimetheus is the standard name and the only answer that identifies Pandora’s husband in the classical story.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

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