Epimetheus (mythology)

Epimetheus (Greek Ἐπιμηθεύς, then the thinker ), in Greek mythology, the brother of Prometheus, as well as the son of Iapetus.

Myth

Epimetheus received from Zeus the beautiful Pandora, one of Hephaestus created out of clay first wife, who brought with him named after her Pandora's box. She had been filled by any Olympian with a special gift, which - apart from the hope - all were fatal. The plagues were thought by Zeus as a punishment of the people for the theft of fire by Prometheus. The warned his brother Epimetheus not to accept a gift of the gods, in order not to harm people. Epimetheus, however, not heeded the warning, and infatuated by her beauty, he married Pandora. You opened the box and let that all plagues that were in the bush, on humanity going on. Before the hope that only good gift which was located at the bottom of the can escape, could she shut ( possibly Epimetheus ) this again, after which all evil came upon mankind. The hope eventually escaped when you reopen the bush.

The Pandora Epimetheus gave birth to daughter Pyrrha. Thus he became the ancestor of Prometheus with the new humanity after the flood.

Epimetheus is in Plato's dialogue Protagoras treated ( 320d - 322a ).