"I
was driven thence by foul winds for a space of 9 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."
Odyssey IX, Odysseus
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