Iapetus, the Greek God and Titan of Mortality, was the son of Uranus and Gaea and the father of Atlas, Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius.
Iapetus was one of the four pillars that held the heavens and earth apart. He gave this role to Atlas. He and his four brothers played a role in dethroning his father, Uranus, as the ruler of the earth. He, along with his four brothers, held Uranus in position while Cronus castrated him with a sickle.
The sons of Iapetus were sometimes regarded as mankind's ancestors, and as such, some of humanity's worst qualities were said to have been inherited from these four gods, each of whom was described with a particular moral fault that often led to their own downfall. For instance, sly and clever Prometheus could perhaps represent crafty scheming; the inept and guileless Epimetheus, foolish stupidity; the enduring Atlas, excessive daring; and the arrogant Menoetius, rash violence.