Lotophagi

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Lotus Eaters redirects here. For other uses, see The Lotus Eaters.

In Greek mythology, the Lotophagi (Greek Λωτοφάγοι, lotus-eaters) were a race of people from an island near Northern Africa dominated by "lotus" plants. The lotus fruits and flowers were the primary foodstuff of the island and were narcotic, causing the people to sleep in peaceful apathy.

The relevant part from the Odyssey (Book IX, translated by Samuel Butler):

"I was driven thence by foul winds for a space of nine days upon the sea, but on the tenth day we reached the land of the Lotus-eaters, who live on a food that comes from a kind of flower. Here we landed to take in fresh water, and our crews got their mid-day meal on the shore near the ships. When they had eaten and drunk I sent two of my company to see what manner of men the people of the place might be, and they had a third man under them. They started at once, and went about among the Lotus-eaters, who did them no hurt, but gave them to eat of the lotus, which was so delicious that those who ate of it left off caring about home, and did not even want to go back and say what had happened to them, but were for staying and munching lotus with the Lotus-eaters without thinking further of their return; nevertheless, though they wept bitterly I forced them back to the ships and made them fast under the benches. Then I told the rest to go on board at once, lest any of them should taste of the lotus and leave off wanting to get home, so they took their places and smote the grey sea with their oars."

1 Which "lotus" did the Lotus-eaters eat?
2 Where is the island of the Lotus-eaters?
3 Modern references to the lotus eaters
4 References
5 See also

Which "lotus" did the Lotus-eaters eat?

The Greek word lôtos can refer to several different plants^[1]:

a fodder plant such as clover, Trifolium fragiferum; the fellbloom, Lotus corniculatus; a fenugreek or melilot, Trigonella species; the Italian melilot, Melilotus messanensis; or Medicago arborea
a water-lily, either Nymphaea lotus, Nymphaea stellata, or Nelumbo nucifera (formerly known as Nymphaea nelumbo)
the nettle-tree, Celtis australis
Ziziphus lotus, a relative of the jujube

It is the last of these, or another member of genus Ziziphus, that is traditionally taken to be the plant meant in the Odyssey .

Herodotus mentions the Lotophagi in his description of North Africa, and identifies the lotus as a plant similar to the date palm ^[2].

Recent studies have shown that the blue water-lily of the Nile, Nymphaea caerulea, also known as the blue lotus (already known under this name to the Greeks), is a stronger candidate. It can be processed to be used as a soporific and in some formulations has psychedelic properties. It is very common in Egyptian iconography which suggests its use in a religious context.^{[citation needed]}

Fenugreek seeds.

Nymphaea lotus.

Lotus corniculatus.

Seeds of Nelumbo nucifera.

Celtis australis.

Fresh fruits of jujube.

Nymphaea caerulea.

Where is the island of the Lotus-eaters?

The island of the Lotophagi may be the modern Djerba. It is a likely candidate because there are very few islands on the North African coast; however, Herodotus says that the Lotophagi live on a peninsula, not an island.

Modern references to the lotus eaters

In modern usage, people who frequently daydream or think of impractical ideas can be called "lotus-eaters".

In Robert E. Howard's novelette, "Xuthal of the Dusk", Conan finds the lost city of Xuthal, where he encounters the last descendents of a once-great civilisation, who spend most of their time in a drug-induced haze. Only Conan and his companion, Natala, escape. In other Conan stories, Howard refers to lotuses of various colors having various narcotic effects.

The popular 8-bit computer game, Sabre Wulf, features lotus plants of various colours, each of which has differing effects upon the character (super speed, reversed controls, immunity to harm, etc).

This Side of Paradise is a Star Trek episode in which Captain Kirk has to rescue his crew and a planetary colony from alien spores that cause them to enjoy only lackadaisical hedonistic pursuits. When the USS Enterprise arrived they found essentially an island of the Lotus-eaters, and his crew became infected as well. It was up to Kirk (in the role of Odysseus) to forcefully break them out of their euphoric state and bring them back to reality.

The name "[The] Lotus Eater[s]" has often been used for bands, films, works of literature, and so on. See The Lotus Eaters for a list.

References

^ lôtos at Liddell, Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, 1889.
^ Histories, Book IV, 177

Lotophagi

Contents

Which "lotus" did the Lotus-eaters eat?

Where is the island of the Lotus-eaters?

Modern references to the lotus eaters

References

See also