Lotus Eaters

A group of people who existed in a state of languorous forgetfulness induced by eating the fruit of the lotus plant.

After leaving the island of the sorceress Kirke (Circe), and mourning the crewmen who had been eaten by the monster Skylla (Scylla), Odysseus found himself in the land of the Lotus Eaters.

After a brief rest, Odysseus sent three men to seek out the inhabitants of the land and see if they were eaters of bread, i.e. civilized people; the three men encountered the Lotus Eaters and found them to be peaceful and in no way hostile; they gave Odysseus’ men the honey sweet fruit of the lotus and the soldiers fell into a state of lethargic bliss and lost all desire to return to their ships.

When Odysseus found his men in such a state, he forcibly carried them back to the ships and tied them to their rowing benches; the sails were quickly set and Odysseus fled the land of the Lotus Eaters so that no one else would eat the lotus fruit and forget the way home.

• Odyssey, book 9, line 82+; book 23, line 311