Lotus-eaters made up a race of people who were thought to live in North Africa. In ancient Greek mythology, lotus-eaters were called Lotophagi << loh TOF uh jy >>. It was said that their only food was the fruit and blossoms of the lotus, or jujube tree. People who ate of this magical tree forgot their homeland and the ties of friendship and family. The Greek epic poem the Odyssey describes an encounter between the lotus-eaters and the Greek hero Odysseus (Ulysses in Latin). Lord Tennyson’s poem “The Lotos-Eaters” is based upon this story (see Odyssey). Today, people who continually daydream or think of impractical ideas are sometimes called lotus-eaters.
