The 'Odyssey,' attributed to the blind poet Homer, is one of the oldest extant works of Western literature. Before it was ever written down (around the 8th century BCE), it existed for generations as an oral poem. Bards would memorize thousands of lines using 'epithets'—repeated phrases like 'wine-dark sea' or 'rosy-fingered Dawn'—which acted as rhythmic placeholders and memory aids. This oral tradition meant the story was fluid and musical, designed to be performed over several nights. The epic's structure, focusing on a hero's 'nostos' (homecoming), established the template for the 'Hero’s Journey,' a narrative arc still used by modern filmmakers and novelists today.