Question

How do the Lotus Eater Pose a threat to Odysseus and his men? What does the description of the incident with the Lotus Eaters add to the epic? Why doesn’t Odysseus elaborate further on his description of this incident? How does this encounter with the Lotus Eater contrast with Odysseus approach to the Cicones?

Answer 1

• The Lotus Eaters gave the men and odysseus a plant to eat but whoever ate it lost hope to go home that is why they pose a threat.
• The description of the incident with the Lotus Eaters add to the epic because it shows danger and risk.
• Odysseus didn't want to elaborate further in the incident because he had to leave because if they stayed his men may have eaten the plant and lost hope of home.
• When Odysseus and his men reach Ismarus, where the Ciconians live, they sack the city and kill the men they can find, r*** the women, and steal all the treasure. He advised his men to leave after, but they didn't. The men who escaped the attack got help, and then attacked Odysseus and his men killing six from each ship. On the island of the Lotus Eaters he only sent three men in to see who the people are. He was then able to wrestle the three men back on the ship. If he wasn't able to it would have been a small lost. Whereas if his entire crew went onto the island and ate the lotus he would have never been able to get them back and would have lost his crew forever.

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