Epimetheus

Epimetheus was a son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene, and the brother of Prometheus, Atlas and Menoetius. Greek writers made him the slow-thinking brother: he is the one who accepted Pandora from the gods against Prometheus’ warning, and in Plato’s version of the myth the one who used up all the gifts on the animals and left nothing for humans.

Epimetheus' Name and Role

His name is usually understood as “afterthought”, the opposite of Prometheus, “forethought”. Hesiod plays on this when he says that Epimetheus understood what he had done only after he had received the evil (Works and Days 89), and Plato's Protagoras calls him “not so wise as he might be” (Protagoras 321b). Hesiod says that Epimetheus “from the first was a mischief to men who eat bread”, because he was the first to receive the woman fashioned by Zeus (Theogony 511–514).

Parents and Brothers

Iapetus married the Oceanid Clymene and she bore Atlas, Menoetius, Prometheus and Epimetheus (Hesiod, Theogony 507–511). Apollodorus gives the same four sons, though he names their mother Asia (Library 1.2.3). In Hesiod, Zeus struck Menoetius down for his arrogance, set Atlas to hold up the sky, and bound Prometheus (Theogony 514–534).

Epimetheus Gives Traits to animals

In the myth told by the sophist Protagoras in Plato's dialogue, the gods formed mortal creatures out of earth and fire and told Prometheus and Epimetheus to equip each with its proper powers. Epimetheus asked to do the distributing himself, with Prometheus to inspect his work afterwards. He gave strength without speed to some, and speed to the weak; gave some weapons and others other ways of protection; gave fur, hooves and tough hides; and arranged that animals that were prey should have many young (Plato, Protagoras 320c–321b).

What about Man?

Epimetheus, not being very wise, had used up all the powers on the animals and left the human race without any equipment (Protagoras 321b–c). Prometheus then stole the fiery craft of Hephaestus and the arts of Athena and gave them to man, and, because of Epimetheus’ mistake, later stood trial for the theft (Protagoras 321c–d). Hesiod does not tell the distribution story.

Epimetheus Marries Pandora

In Hesiod, Zeus had the gods fashion the first woman as the price of the fire Prometheus stole, and sent Hermes to bring her to Epimetheus as a gift. Prometheus had told him never to accept a gift from Olympian Zeus but to send it back, lest something evil happen to mortals; Epimetheus accepted it, and understood the evil only afterwards (Works and Days 54–58, 80–89). The woman was called Pandora (Works and Days 80–82). Hesiod does not use the word “wife” of her and Epimetheus, but Apollodorus says that Pyrrha was the daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora, “the first woman fashioned by the gods” (Library 1.7.2).

Pandora's Box

Before this, Hesiod says, the tribes of men lived on earth free from evils. Then the woman took the great lid from a jar (pithos) and scattered its contents, bringing grim troubles to men. Only Hope remained under the rim of the jar, inside its unbreakable home, for the lid was put back by the will of Zeus (Works and Days 90–99). The usual English phrase “Pandora’s box” translates this jar. Hesiod does not say why she lifted the lid.

Pyrrha and the Flood

Pyrrha married Deucalion, the son of Prometheus, who ruled in the region of Phthia. When Zeus wanted to destroy the men of the Bronze Age, Deucalion, on the advice of Prometheus, built a chest and embarked in it with Pyrrha. Zeus flooded most of Greece, and almost everyone died apart from a few who fled to the high mountains (Apollodorus, Library 1.7.2). After the flood, stones thrown by Deucalion became men and stones thrown by Pyrrha became women, and the couple had Hellen, Amphictyon and a daughter Protogenia (Library 1.7.2). Ovid, telling the same flood story, calls Pyrrha “daughter of Epimetheus” (Metamorphoses 1.390). Epimetheus is therefore the grandfather of Hellen through Pyrrha.

Epimetheus Sources

Hesiod, Theogony 507–534 and Works and Days 54–99; Plato, Protagoras 320c–322a; Apollodorus, Library 1.2.3 and 1.7.2; Ovid, Metamorphoses 1.390.

See Also: Titans, Iapetus, Prometheus, Atlas, Menoetius, Pandora, Pyrrha, Deucalion, Zeus, Hermes