# Do any Greek myths actually specify the species of animals created by Epimetheus? I haven't found any reference to them

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-greek-myths-actually-specify-the-species-of-animals-created-by-epimetheus-i-havent-found-any-reference-to-them/973699>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 24, 2022, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-greek-myths-actually-specify-the-species-of-animals-created-by-epimetheus-i-havent-found-any-reference-to-them/973699 "2022-10-24T10:22:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Octagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2acd7d/32.png) [@Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octagon)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2022, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-greek-myths-actually-specify-the-species-of-animals-created-by-epimetheus-i-havent-found-any-reference-to-them/973699/1 "2022-10-24T10:22:14Z")

</div>

Do any Greek myhts actually specify the species of animals created by Epimetheus? I haven’t found any reference to them. The only reference I find is to birds, fish, forest animals etc.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2022, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-any-greek-myths-actually-specify-the-species-of-animals-created-by-epimetheus-i-havent-found-any-reference-to-them/973699/2 "2022-10-24T13:23:48Z")

</div>

_All_ of them. Except us.

Although note that [in Plato](https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/plato/dialogues/benjamin-jowett/text/protagoras#protagoras-text), Epimetheus only distributes traits, the gods do the actual creating of the animals:

> 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.

Plato then goes on to list traits, but doesn’t tie it to any specific animal.