The Odyssey Lotus Eaters Quotes

"So off they went and soon enough
they mingled among the natives, Lotus-eaters, Lotus-eaters
who had no notion of killing my companions, not at all,
they simply gave them the lotus to taste instead…
Any crewman who ate the lotus, the honey-sweet fruit,
lost all desire to send a message back, much less return,
their only wish to linger there with the Lotus-eaters,
grazing on lotus, all memory of the journey home
dissolved forever."

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 9, lines 102-110. The Lotus Eaters is an episode in which Odysseus and his men stop off at an island and barely escape from it. They are not in direct danger from the inhabitants, who turn out to be a gentle people. But the threat comes from the enemy within: human nature and the desire for the forbidden fruit. The natives eat the sweet lotus fruit, which acts like a drowsy narcotic, causing people to live in a dreamy and carefree state. When Odysseus’ men taste the intoxicating fruit, they are hooked. They lose all memory and care about returning home and just want to feed on more lotus.

"But I brought them back, back
to the hollow ships, and streaming tears – I forced them,
hauled them under the rowing benches, lashed them fast
and shouted out commands to my other, steady comrades:
‘Quick, no time to lose, embark in the racing ships!’ –
so none could eat the lotus, forget the voyage home."

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 9, lines 110-115. Odysseus deploys his quick intelligence and cunning when some of his crewmen get drunk on the sweet and mellow lotus fruit on the island of the Lotus Eaters. Under the influence of the potent lotus drug, they lose interest in continuing their journey home. Their only desire is to remain with the pleasure-addicted natives, eating lotus, all memory of their journey home having been erased. So he drags them back to the ship by force, binds them right to the rowing benches and commands the rest of the crew to set sail quickly.
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