Everything Everywhere Daily · Sunday, August 2, 2026
The Odyssey, attributed to Homer, began as an oral tradition sung by bards and evolved over centuries. The earliest written records emerged after literacy returned to Greece in the 8th century BC, with scholars like Eratosthenes of Cyrene later standardizing the text in the 2nd century BC.
“The Odyssey is an ancient Greek epic poem, traditionally attributed to Homer, that tells the story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War.”
“The Odyssey began as an oral tale sung by bards in the ancient Greek world.”
“This massive effort culminated in the second century BC when Eratosthenes of Cyrene produced the master standardized text that serves as the backbone of every edition we read today.”