Other rulers who have used epithets include the French king Charles the Bald and the Spanish king Philip the Pious. In literary words, epithets are a feature of Homer's style. When he penned his epic poems, including as The Odyssey, in the ninth century BC, he meant them to be heard rather than read. So he used all kinds of stylistic devices to make his verses sound like music when they were recited aloud before an audience. Among these devices was the use of epithets. An epithet is a word or phrase used to describe or qualify someone or something. It can also be a descriptive term for an animal, plant, or object. In literature, poets often use epithets to highlight certain qualities of their characters or subjects. These days, you sometimes see epithets used in advertising to give products a rating or rating system. For example, one beer can be described as "bronze medal winner" while another gets a "silver badge." King Charles the Bald used an epithet during his reign from 845 to 860 AD to describe himself. He called himself "the bald" because during his youth, he had lost most of his hair due to illness. Another example comes from medieval times when people used epithets to describe animals. For instance, a lion was called a "king of beasts" because it was thought to be the ruler of all other animals.