The Odyssey: The Lotus Eaters A Tale of Desire and Gluttony

Plot Summary Odysseus and his men made their way to Ismaros where they met the Kikonians. They destroyed the city, killed the men, and kept the women, some cattle, and goods. The men had a feast, but some Kikonians, held captive, escaped to their neighbors. The neighbors came and killed six men from each ship, while Odysseus and his men went to safety.

Plot Summary cont. Zeus sent clouds over the land and sea and brought night to earth. The winds were so strong that the ships’ sails ripped, and the men spent two days and two nights in hardship and anxiety. On the third day, light came, but the sea current and wind brought the boats outside Cythera. They spent nine more days out at sea, but on the tenth, they reached the land of the lotus-eaters, who get their food from flowers.

Plot Summary cont. Odysseus sent some men to meet the lotus-eaters, and they did no harm to them. The men were given some honey-sweet lotus fruit, and when they ate it, they did not come back and wanted more. Odysseus came to get them and tied them up by force. The men were back in the ocean and were on their way to the land of the Cyclops.

“Those who ate the honeyed fruit of the plant lost any wish to come back and bring us news. All they now wanted was to stay where they were with the Lotus- Eaters, to browse on the lotus, and to forget all thoughts of return.”

Zeus Zeus-He is the king of the gods, and the ruler of earth. After Odysseus escaped from the Ciconians, he brought night over earth, very strong winds, and violent waves of fury. Zeus controls the fates of all men on earth and uses them for his pleasure and entertainment.

Lotus Symbols good life desire, selfishness and greed. (greed and gluttony), two of the 7 deadliest sins *significance of the lotus-eating adventure

Conflict man vs. temptations man vs. greed

Event in the Bible connects to the lotus eater adventure In the story of the Prodigal son, a father gives his son all of his money, but the son wastes all of it for himself.