Pandora's Box Revisited: Prometheus vs. Epimetheus, or the Struggle for Civilization

Last week's presentation in Toronto

Sep 11, 2025

Louis de Silvestre (1675–1760), The Formation of Man by Prometheus with the Aid of Minerva (1702)

After the Titanomachy—the battle between the ancient generation of Titans and their upstart Olympian offspring—the Titan Prometheus was tasked with creating man out of mud and clay. When he was done, Athena breathed life into his new creation, imbuing man with god-like qualities such as intellect and grace—qualities possessed by Athena herself.

As the story goes, Prometheus’ theft of fire and gift to mankind allowed the human race to begin mastering the laws of Nature. The gift awakened a spirit of science, art and making in all its forms—from ploughs to astrolabes, forges and torches, to painting and shipbuilding. As a result, man found himself in a position which no other creature had ever found itself in—he was now a conscious creator.

The famous classical tragedian Aeschylus describes the Promethean account in the final instalment of his Prometheus trilogy, Prometheus Unbound (learn more about the lost fragments here).

PROMETHEUS
I took from man expectancy of death.
CHORUS
What medicine found'st thou for this malady?
PROMETHEUS
I planted blind hope in the heart of him.
CHORUS
A mighty boon thou gavest there to man.
PROMETHEUS
Moreover, I conferred the gift of fire.
CHORUS
And have frail mortals now the flame-bright fire?
PROMETHEUS
Yea, and shall master many arts thereby.

While several accounts of the Promethean myth exist, Aeschylus captures the classical image that would awaken a new creative consciousness within mankind. We speak of the same spark which continues to irk the would-be Olympians of our own age. This is the same spark which Christianity identifies with that god-like quality which uniquely makes man in the image of his Creator—unlike any of God’s other creatures.

Giulio Bonasone's 16th century engraving of Epimetheus opening the fatal jar

Of course, not everyone was happy with Prometheus’ gift. As punishment for his crimes, Zeus sent Prometheus’ shortsighted brother, Epimetheus, a wife. Interestingly, the name Prometheus means foresight, while the name Epimetheus means hindsight. Thus, despite Prometheus’ warnings about never accepting gifts from the treacherous Olympians, his rash brother Epimetheus was gifted a wife by Zeus, Pandora, which he duly accepted.

But she came with a strange box…

Today, a careful reading of this story may very well decide whether Western civilization opens a new “Pandora’s Box” or whether a new generation of Prometheans emerge who once again learn to wield fire.