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In Greek mythology, Epimetheus was one of the Titans. He is often
mentioned in conjunction with his famous brother Prometheus. Indeed, the
names Epimetheus and Prometheus together represent two different but
related aspects of thought - Epimetheus means 'afterthought', while
Prometheus symbolizes 'forethought' - and as the personification of
afterthought, the Titan Epimetheus is often contrasted with his more
sensible brother in myth. This contrast between brothers is seen to good
advantage in one of the most enduring and familiar stories of Greek
mythology - the tale of Epimetheus and Pandora.
According to the ancient Greek poet Hesiod, Epimetheus was the son of the
Titan Iapetos and the Oceanid Clymene. Hesiod's Theogony has the following
information about the birth of Epimetheus:
Iapetos took as his wife the fair-ankled Clymene,
daughter of Okeanos, and shared her bed,
and she bore him Atlas, son of an invincible spirit,
and Menoitios of the towering pride, and Prometheus,
whose mind was labyrinthine and swift, and foolish Epimetheus...
In addition, Hesiod tells the story of how 'foolish Epimetheus' was
tricked by the cunning of Zeus into accepting a gift that caused a myriad
of evils to be unleashed on mankind. Hesiod claims that Prometheus first
deceived the ruler of the Greek gods. In turn, Zeus was compelled to seek
his revenge by punishing the clever Titan. So Zeus devised a scheme of his
own, and he recruited some of his fellow Olympians to help execute this
plan.
Assisted by Athena, Hephaistos, and (in some versions of the tale) Hermes,
Zeus came up with the idea of designing a creature who was so enchanting
that no one could resist her charms; Pandora, the first woman. Her name means "all gifts", and she was
indeed graced with a number of alluring attributes. Epimetheus was so
taken with Pandora that he eagerly agreed to marry her. And Epimetheus
lived up to his name - afterthought - for not realizing what a dangerous
creature Pandora really was, for according to Greek mythology, it was
Pandora (it should be mentioned that Pandora was as curious as she was
lovely) who released all manner of evil into the world.
Wisdom after the event... I wonder why this is generally thought to be
'foolish,' and why Epimetheus is more often castigated as a dullard,
rather than praised as one who learns from both mistakes and successes.
That Epimetheus was 'taken in' by the manipulations of a deceitful Zeus
does not indicate stupidity, per se... for even the wisest can be deceived
and Zeus was, after all, the most powerful of the sons of Kronos.
Prometheus is a heroic figure thanks to the suffering he underwent on
behalf of humanity - at the hands of a wrathful Zeus - for giving fire to
we mortals. Given the dictates of duality in theological construct
(an aspect certainly not unique to ancient Greek mythology), his
counterpart is cast in the anti-heroic role, and yet what did Epimetheus
do that made him deserving of such a position?
Why are the qualities of forethought seen to be superior to those of
afterthought... after all, forethought itself is no guarantor of wisdom or
success... and if Prometheus, with blindingly virtuous forethought, was so wise...
why did he not foresee that Zeus would chain him to the rock and force him
to endure such terrible gastric unpleasantness at the hands (talons?) of
the eagle?
Why is there an assumption that afterthought is tantamount to 'thinking
after you leap?'
Yet it gets worse for Epimetheus...
EPIMETHEUS was the younger TITAN-god of afterthought, the father of
excuses.
He was given the task of creating the creatures of the earth. At the same
time his brother, Prometheus, was creating mankind and, seeing the
formidable abilities Epimetheus had given his creations, stole fire from
heaven to assist his. Zeus in anger at this crime ordered the gods to mold
Pandora, the first woman, and sent her to Epimetheus as his bride armed
with a great jar. Pandora, succumbing to curiosity, opened it releasing
all of the harmful daimones the gods had trapped within (the children of
Nyx and Eris) to forever plague mankind. Only Hope (Elpis) remained behind
to comfort them.
Parents
(1) IAPETOS & KLYMENE (Theogony 507, Works & Days 54, Hyginus Fabulae 142)
(2) IAPETOS & ASIA (Apollodorus 1.8)
Offspring
(1) PYRRHA (by Pandora) (Apollodorus 1.45, Hyginus Fab 142)
(2) PROPHASIS (Pindar Pythian 5)
(3) EPHYRA (Simonides Frag 596)
Pandora is often depicted born rising from the earth and Epimetheus as a
farmer (wielding the tool used to break apart the clods of earth in
preparation for planting) helping Pandora emerge (see above image).
Now Iapetos took to wife the neat-ankled maid Klymene, daughter of
Okeanos, and went up with her into one bed. And she bare him ...
Epimetheus who from the first was a mischief to men who eat bread; for it
was he who first took of Zeus the woman, the maiden whom he had formed.
Theogony
507f
Prophasis (Excuse) daughter of the late-contriving Epimatheos
(Afterthought).
Pindar Pythian 5 ep1
Ephyra is Korinthos, named after Ephyra, daughter of Epimetheus; but
Simonides makes her daughter of Okeanos and Tethys, and wife of Epimetheus.
Greek Lyric III Simonides Frag 596 (from Scholiast on Apollonius of
Rhodes)
The Titanes had children ... Atlas (who holds the sky on his shoulders),
Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoitios (whom Zues struck with a thunderbolt
in the Titane battle and confined to Tartaros), were all sons of Iapetos
and Asia.
Apollodorus 1.8-9
"Pyrrha, the daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora, the first woman created
by the gods." -Apollodorus 1.45-46
So now we have Epimetheus as 'the father of excuses.' Poor chap. Strange
that here we see the act of Prometheus in giving fire to mankind as the
petulant thievery of a jealous brother... and no indication that
Epimetheus (with his inferred inability to 'think ahead') was incapable of
creating humanity. Rather it is Prometheus, with his lauded cognitive
powers, who fell behind in the construction and equipping of humanity and had to resort
to stealing fire from the hearth of Olympus to give his own moulded siblings
an edge.
Pyrrha it was, who with her husband Deucalion reseeded the earth with
human kind after Zeus has wiped them out with a flood. In this role,
she is not seen in a negative light, yet given that she is daughter of
Epimetheus and despite the connotation of this relation and name
('excuses') why the lack of reflected glory on poor old Epimetheus, who in
all fairness (alongside his own awesome achievements) raised such a
wonderful daughter? Credit where credit is due, surely.
Once upon a time there were gods only, and no mortal creatures. But when
the time came that these also should be created, the gods fashioned them
out of earth and fire and various mixtures of both elements in the
interior of the earth; and when they were about to bring them into the
light of day, they ordered Prometheus and Epimetheus to equip them, and to
distribute to them severally their proper qualities. Epimetheus said to
Prometheus: 'Let me distribute, and do you inspect.' This was agreed, and
Epimetheus made the distribution. There were some to whom he gave strength
without swiftness, while he equipped the weaker with swiftness; some he
armed, and others he left unarmed; and devised for the latter some other
means of preservation, making some large, and having their size as a
protection, and others small, whose nature was to fly in the air or burrow
in the ground; this was to be their way of escape. Thus did he compensate
them with the view of preventing any race from becoming extinct.
And when
he had provided against their destruction by one another, he contrived
also a means of protecting them against the seasons of heaven; clothing
them with close hair and thick skins sufficient to defend them against the
winter cold and able to resist the summer heat, so that they might have a
natural bed of their own when they wanted to rest; also he furnished them
with hoofs and hair and hard and callous skins under their feet.
Then he
gave them varieties of food-herb of the soil to some, to others fruits of
trees, and to others roots, and to some again he gave other animals as
food. And some he made to have few young ones, while those who were their
prey were very prolific; and in this manner the race was preserved.
Thus
did Epimetheus, who, not being very wise, forgot that he had distributed
among the brute animals all the qualities which he had to give - and when he
came to man, who was still unprovided, he was terribly perplexed.
Now
while he was in this perplexity, Prometheus came to inspect the
distribution, and he found that the other animals were suitably furnished,
but that man alone was naked and shoeless, and had neither bed nor arms of
defence.
The appointed hour was approaching when man in his turn was to go
forth into the light of day; and Prometheus, not knowing how he could
devise his salvation, stole the mechanical arts of Hephaistos and Athene,
and fire with them (they could neither have been acquired nor used without
fire), and gave them to man.
Thus man had the wisdom necessary to the
support of life, but political wisdom he had not; for that was in the
keeping of Zeus, and the power of Prometheus did not extend to entering
into the citadel of heaven, where Zeus dwelt, who moreover had terrible
sentinels; but he did enter by stealth into the common workshop of Athene
and Hephaistos, in which they used to practise their favourite arts, and
carried off Hephaestus' art of working by fire, and also the art of Athene,
and gave them to man. And in this way man was supplied with the means of
life. But Prometheus is said to have been afterwards prosecuted for theft,
owing to the blunder of Epimetheus. Plato
- Protagoras 320C - 322A
Sons of Jove … Hellen by Pyrrha, daughter of Epimetheus.” Hyginus
Fabulae 155
Prometheus: According to the Judges of the Judaeans, Prometheus ... first
discovered scholarly philosophy. And Epimetheus, who discovered music. Suidas
'Prometheus'
Ah... so the
plot thickens. Now we see that Epimetheus was at an impasse... perhaps
'all thought out' by the time he reached the provisions of mankind. Here
also is the cause for the theft of fire by Prometheus. Typical of Plato to
add his penneth and excuse the hero.
A little
objective thought however, and we can see that even here, there is no
suggestion that Epimetheus had done anything other than fail to hit an
exacting deadline. I would argue that, given time, Epimetheus would have
solved the problem of provision... an aspect reflective of 'forethought,'
perhaps? Does 'forethought' necessarily require 'labyrinthine swiftness?'
Can it not also be said to encompass lengthy contemplation?
Not so sure
about the musical link... Apollo and/or Hermes (amongst others) are
generally associated and credited on this issue... though it is at least comforting that, to
some, Epimetheus did something right.
EPIMETHEUS & PANDORA
[Zeus] was always mindful of the trick [where Prometheus earned for men
the better part of the sacrificial beast], and would not give the power of unwearying fire to the Melian race of mortal men who live on the earth
[this early race of men were sons of the Meliai nymphs] . But the noble
son of Iapetos [Prometheos] outwitted him and stole the far-seen gleam of
unwearying fire in a hollow fennel stalk. And Zeus who thunders on high
was stung in spirit, and his dear heart was angered when he saw amongst
men the far-seen ray of fire. Forthwith he made an evil thing for men as
the price of fire; for the very famous Limping God [Hephaistos] formed of
earth the likeness of a shy maiden as the son of Kronos willed. And the
goddess bright-eyed Athene girded and clothed her with silvery raiment,
and down from her head she spread with her hands an embroidered veil, a
wonder to see; and she, Pallas Athene, put about her head lovely garlands,
flowers of new-grown herbs. Also she put upon her head a crown of gold
which the very famous Limping God made himself and worked with his own
hands as a favor to Zeus his father. On it was much curious work,
wonderful to see; for of the many creatures which the land and sea rear
up, he put most upon it, wonderful things, like living beings with voices:
and great beauty shone out from it.
But when he had made the beautiful evil to be the price for the blessing,
he brought her out, delighting in the finery which the bright-eyed
daughter of a mighty father had given her, to the place where the other
gods and men were. And wonder took hold of the deathless gods and mortal
men when they saw that which was sheer guile, not to be withstood by men.
For from her is the race of women and female kind: of her is the deadly
race and tribe of women who live amongst mortal men to their great
trouble, no helpmeets in hateful poverty, but only in wealth. And as in
thatched hives bees feed the drones whose nature is to do mischief--by day
and throughout the day until the sun goes down the bees are busy and lay
the white combs, while the drones stay at home in the covered hives and
reap the toil of others into their own bellies-- even so Zeus who thunders
on high made women to be an evil to mortal men, with a nature to do evil.
And he gave them a second evil to be the price for the good they had:
whoever avoids marriage and the sorrows that women cause, and will not
wed, reaches deadly old age without anyone to tend his years, and though
he at least has no lack of livelihood while he lives, yet, when he is
dead, his kinsfolk divide his possessions amongst them. And as for the man
who chooses the lot of marriage and takes a good wife suited to his mind,
evil continually contends with good; for whoever happens to have
mischievous children, lives always with unceasing grief in his spirit and
heart within him; and this evil cannot be healed.
So it is not possible to deceive or go beyond the will of Zeus: for not
even the son of Iapetos, kindly Prometheus, escaped his heavy anger, but
of necessity strong bands confined him, although he knew many a wile.
Hesiod : Theogony
560-615
Cough. I wonder
how long Hesiod would survive on a 21st century soapbox, peddling such
views of the female gender?
Notice the
effort here, on behalf of Zeus, in the construction of such mischief and
evil. Should Epimetheus fairly be blamed for being deceived and falling in
love with Pandora? Such a view may be a tad harsh, methinks.
[Zeus to Prometheus]`Son of Iapetos, surpassing all in cunning, you are
glad that you have outwitted me and stolen fire - a great plague to you
yourself and to men that shall be. But I will give men as the price for
fire an evil thing in which they may all be glad of heart while they
embrace their own destruction.'
So said the father of men and gods, and laughed aloud. And he bade famous
Hephaistos make haste and mix earth with water and to put in it the voice
and strength of human kind, and fashion a sweet, lovely maiden-shape, like
to the immortal goddesses in face; and Athene to teach her needlework and
the weaving of the varied web; and golden Aphrodite to shed grace upon her
head and cruel longing and cares that weary the limbs. And he charged
Hermes the guide, the Slayer of Argus, to put in her a shameless mind and
a deceitful nature. So he ordered. And they obeyed the lord Zeus the son
of Kronos.
Forthwith the famous Lame God moulded clay in the likeness of a
modest maid, as the son of Kronos purposed. And the goddess bright-eyed
Athene girded and clothed her, and the divine Kharites and queenly Peitho
(Persuasion) put necklaces of gold upon her, and the rich-haired Horai
crowned her head with spring flowers. And Pallas Athene bedecked her form
with all manners of finery. Also the Guide, the Slayer of Argus [Hermes],
contrived within her lies and crafty words and a deceitful nature at the
will of loud thundering Zeus, and the Herald of the gods put speech in
her. And he called this woman Pandora (All-Gifts), because all they who
dwelt on Olympus gave each a gift, a plague to men who eat bread.
But when he had finished the sheer, hopeless snare, the Father sent
glorious Argus-Slayer [Hermes], the swift messenger of the gods, to take
it to Epimetheus as a gift. And Epimetheus did not think on what
Prometheus had said to him, bidding him never take a gift of Olympian
Zeus, but to send it back for fear it might prove to be something harmful
to men. But he took the gift, and afterwards, when the evil thing was
already his, he understood.
For ere this the tribes of men lived on earth remote and free from ills
and hard toil and heavy sickness which bring the Fates upon men; for in
misery men grow old quickly. But the woman took off the great lid of the
jar with her hands and scattered all these and her thought caused sorrow
and mischief to men. Only Elpis (Hope) remained there in an unbreakable
home within under the rim of the great jar, and did not fly out at the
door; for ere that, the lid of the jar stopped her, by the will of
Aegis-holding Zeus who gathers the clouds. But the rest, countless
plagues, wander amongst men; for earth is full of evils and the sea is
full. Of themselves diseases come upon men continually by day and by
night, bringing mischief to mortals silently; for wise Zeus took away
speech from them. So is there no way to escape the will of Zeus.
Hesiod : Works &
Days 54-105
So what do we
have here? Prometheus steals fire from Olympus against the wishes of Zeus
and (whoopdeedoo) warns his brother that Zeus might try something sneaky
in revenge. If this is an example of 'forethought' and wisdom, I would
hardly call it convoluted or indicative of cognitive rocket-science. Seems
an obvious conclusion, to me. And I am sure that Epimetheus, upon hearing
such a warning from his wise and kind brother, would have nodded slowly...
spilling his pinotage in the process, no doubt. Nevertheless, despite the
warnings of Prometheus, dullard Epimetheus succumbed to the lure of
Pandora. Shock horror. Given her attributes as gifted by the gods, and the
intent of Zeus himself, which of us could resist?
Again... is it
the fault of he deceived to BE so deceived?
On the pedestal [of the statue of Athena on the Akropolis, Athens] is the
birth of Pandora in relief. Hesiod and others have sung how this Pandora
was the first woman; before Pandora was born there was as yet no
womankind. Pausanias 1.24.7
Prometheus, son of Iapetus, first fashioned men from clay. Later Vulcan [Hephaistos],
at Jove’s [Zeus'] command, made a woman’s form from clay. Minerva [Athene]
gave it life, and the rest of the gods each gave come other gift. Because
of this they named her Pandora. She was given in marriage to Prometheus’
brother Epimetheus. Pyrrha was her daughter, and was said to be the first
mortal born. Hyginus Fabulae 142
[Aion father time addresses Zeus:] 'But, some may
say, a medicine [Hope] has been planted to make long-suffering mortals
forget their troubles, to save their lives. Would that Pandora had never
opened the heavenly cover of that jar – she the sweet bane of mankind! Dionysiaca 7.7
Even a bane can
be sweet. How true.
I shall leave
my 'apology' for Epimetheus at this point, with a Longfellow poem. If you
have a view, express.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Birds of Passage - V - THE HOUSE OF EPIMETHEUS
EPIMETHEUS.
Beautiful apparition! go not hence!
Surely thou art a Goddess, for thy voice
Is a celestial melody, and thy form
Self-poised as if it floated on the air!
PANDORA.
No Goddess am I, nor of heavenly birth,
But a mere woman fashioned out of clay
And mortal as the rest.
EPIMETHEUS.
Thy face is fair;
There is a wonder in thine azure eyes
That fascinates me. Thy whole presence seems
A soft desire, a breathing thought of love.
Say, would thy star like Merope's grow dim
If thou shouldst wed beneath thee?
PANDORA.
Ask me not;
I cannot answer thee. I only know
The Gods have sent me hither.
EPIMETHEUS.
I believe,
And thus believing am most fortunate.
It was not Hermes led thee here, but Eros,
And swifter than his arrows were thine eves
In wounding me. There was no moment's space
Between my seeing thee and loving thee.
O, what a telltale face thou hast! Again
I see the wonder in thy tender eyes.
PANDORA.
They do but answer to the love in thine,
Yet secretly I wonder thou shouldst love me.
Thou knowest me not.
EPIMETHEUS.
Perhaps I know thee better
Than had I known thee longer. Yet it seems
That I have always known thee, and but now
Have found thee. Ah, I have been waiting long.
PANDORA.
How beautiful is this house! The atmosphere
Breathes rest and comfort, and the many chambers
Seem full of welcomes.
EPIMETHEUS.
They not only seem,
But truly are. This dwelling and its master
Belong to thee.
PANDORA.
Here let me stay forever!
There is a spell upon me.
EPIMETHEUS.
Thou thyself
Art the enchantress, and I feel thy power
Envelop me, and wrap my soul and sense
In an Elysian dream.
PANDORA,
O, let me stay.
How beautiful are all things round about me,
Multiplied by the mirrors on the walls!
What treasures hast thou here! Yon oaken chest,
Carven with figures and embossed with gold,
Is wonderful to look upon! What choice
And precious things dost thou keep hidden in it?
EPIMETHEUS.
I know not. 'T is a mystery.
PANDORA.
Hast thou never
Lifted the lid?
EPIMETHEUS.
The oracle forbids.
Safely concealed there from all mortal eyes
Forever sleeps the secret of the Gods.
Seek not to know what they have hidden from thee,
Till they themselves reveal it.
PANDORA.
As thou wilt.
EPIMETHEUS.
Let us go forth from this mysterious place.
The garden walks are pleasant at this hour;
The nightingales among the sheltering boughs
Of populous and many-nested trees
Shall teach me how to woo thee, and shall tell me
By what resistless charms or incantations
They won their mates.
PANDORA.
Thou dost not need a teacher.
(They go out.)
CHORUS OF THE EUMENIDES.
What the Immortals
Confide to thy keeping,
Tell unto no man;
Waking or sleeping,
Closed be thy portals
To friend as to foeman.
Silence conceals it;
The word that is spoken
Betrays and reveals it;
By breath or by token
The charm may be broken.
With shafts of their splendors
The Gods unforgiving
Pursue the offenders,
The dead and the living!
Fortune forsakes them,
Nor earth shall abide them,
Nor Tartarus hide them;
Swift wrath overtakes them!
With useless endeavor,
Forever, forever,
Is Sisyphus rolling
His stone up the mountain!
Immersed in the fountain,
Tantalus tastes not
The water that wastes not!
Through ages increasing
The pangs that afflict him,
With motion unceasing
The wheel of Ixion
Shall torture its victim! |
