After reaching the land of the lotus eaters, Odysseus sends his men to explore and report back to him. They hurry and "[mingle] among the natives, lotus eaters" who "have no intention of killing [Odysseus's] companions, at all, / they simply [give] them the lotus to taste instead", but "any crewman who [eats] the lotus, the honey-sweet fruit,/[loses] all desire to send a message back, much less return,/their only desire to linger there with the Lotus Eaters, /graze on the lotus, every memory of the journey home/dissolves forever” (9.94-110) Once the Lotus Eaters give Odysseus' men the lotus to eat, they lose all purpose and motivation to do anything. what but to stay with the Lotus Eaters and eat more lotus. The Lotus Eaters, although they have "no idea of killing [Odysseus's] companions", hinder Odysseus' progress by preventing his men from even wanting to proceed what his men want to do is “stay there with the Lotus Eaters,” without a care in the world. Without Odysseus' help, his men would never be able to escape the Lotus Eaters because they have "lost all desire" to try to leave. While Greeks value dedication and ambition, lotus eaters are lazy and aimless. The Greeks see lotus eaters as inferior because they have no hunger for success; they are stagnant. The Lotus Eaters also make Odysseus' men forget why they are traveling
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