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Epimetheus (Greek)

Epimetheus In Greek mythology, Epimetheus (Greek: Ἐπιμηθεύς) ("hindsight", literally "afterthought," but in the manner of a fool looking behind, while running forward) was the brother of Prometheus ("foresight", literally "fore-thought"), a pair of Titans who "acted as representatives of mankind" (Kerenyi 1951, p 207). They were the inseparable sons of Iapetus, who in other contexts was the father of Atlas. While Prometheus is characterized as ingenious and clever, Epimetheus is depicted as foolish. According to Plato's use of the old myth in his Protagoras (320d-322a), the twin Titans were entrusted with distributing the traits among the newly-created animals; Epimetheus was responsible for giving a positive trait to every animal, but when it was time to give man a positive trait, lacking foresight he found that there was nothing left. Prometheus decided that mankind's attributes would be the civilizing arts and fire, which...