Lotus-Eaters

E102240

The Lotus-Eaters are a mythical people in Greek mythology whose intoxicating lotus fruit causes those who eat it to forget their homes and lose all desire to return.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Lotus-Eaters canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (44)

Predicate Object
instanceOf figure in Greek mythology
legendary population group
mythical people
appearsIn Homer's Odyssey
surface form: Odyssey
associatedPlant lotus
associatedTheme loss of identity through forgetfulness
seductive power of pleasure
temptation to abandon duty
associatedWithWork Homer's Odyssey
consume lotus fruit
lotus plant
culturalImpact inspired phrase "lotus-eater" for idle pleasure-seeker
culturalInterpretation allegory of drug-induced oblivion
critique of hedonistic lifestyle
describedBy Homer
effectOnOthers cause amnesia about home
cause apathy toward journey
encounteredBy Odysseus
companions of Odysseus
firstAttestedIn Homeric epic tradition
genre mythological ethnography
GreekName Λωτοφάγοι
GreekTransliteration Lotophagoi
hasMotif island of enchantment
magic food that alters memory
inhabit land of the Lotus-Eaters
knownFor causing forgetfulness in visitors
eating intoxicating lotus
inducing loss of desire to return home
languageOfOrigin Ancient Greek
locatedInNarrative Mediterranean Basin
surface form: Mediterranean Sea region
mythType travelers' encounter with strange people
narrativeFunction obstacle on Odysseus's voyage home
narrativeRole temptation that delays Odysseus's return
opposedTo nostos (homecoming)
partOf Greek mythology
referencedIn Victorian poetry
later classical literature
modern literary criticism
relatedConcept dangerous hospitality
land of forgetfulness
symbolizes danger of pleasure without responsibility
escapism
forgetfulness

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Odysseus encounters Lotus-Eaters