The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-16

n1tiCn III thO Il OiopohiiSouo, Nv ~ $500
had the following experiences:
But on the afternoon of the tenth day,
We reached, borne downwa ard with an easy helm,
Land OF the now'ry food. the lotus-cating realm.
Anon we step forth on the drear mainland,
And draw fresh water from the springs, and there,
SEATED Nn, ed At sre ease ,S along s,s, q the si silsn, o stra mSs,. prepare.
Soon. having tasted OF the welcome fare.
I. with the herali. brave companions twain.
S Who. o ON sf tbe rfe @h ear Tbar eoucSed beside the main,
Seemed ever with sweet food their lips to entertain.
Who, when they came to the delightful place
Where those sat feeding by the barren wave.
There mingled with the lotus. eating race;
Who nagght Of ruin for our comrades brave
Dreamed In their minds. but OF the lotus gavei
And whose tasted OF their fowery meat
Cared not for tiding TO return, but claye
Fast TO that tribe. forever fain to eat.
Reckless of home return, the tender lotus sweet.
These sorely weeping by main strength we bore
Back TO the hollow ships with all our speed:
And thrust them. bound with cords, upon the door,
Under the benches; then the rest lead
on board and bid them to the work give heed.
Lest others. eating OF the lotus, should yearn
Always TO liner In that land an : feoi,
Then, bending to their oars, the foaming deep they
-Morsley's Translation.
Tcnnyson, in most elegant verse, has amplifed
the above account in his "L~otus-Eaters." Sew
eral ancient authors, especially Pliny, ascribc
to certain plants and fruits similar amnostic cf-
fects on those who eat of them. Modern thora-
peutics knows of no plant which has tho effect
of abolishing the love of country home or
friends in those who partake of It's fruits. The
nearest approach to such manifestations is that
Of an overdose of alcohol or the various forms
Of the opiate preparations. But in these
there is u sort OF temporary mental
delirium in which there is as likely TO
be an increase OF the love Of home and
friends rs the contrary. 1t is a singular fact
that of all the plants which are said TO have fur
nished the fruit eaten especially by the lotus
caters, not one is noted for possessing intoxi-
eating or soporific properties.
When we attempt TO learn which plant 1t was
that furnished the lotus-eaters their famed fruit.
we find considerable literature on tho subject
and also much confusion. There are no less than
eleven plants which have at various times been
credited with the honor Of having furnished the
lotus eaters with their special fruit; only six of
these are entitled to serious consideration. A
careful examination of their several histories re-
The word lotus Is the Greek name for a small
tree belonging to the buckthorn family, which
Rhan,nus lotus. It grows wild in northern Al,
RIGA, southern Spain. and Italy. It has also been
that there was a form in which the fruit bore no
stones, showing an advanced stage OF cultivation
and q ssdeffi oIi;s Its s1 1Fu 4 nil5 fed s Serry near re ,h the ,, size
Herodotus says there was a people living along
the Libyan coast, and that the fruit of this
were known as the LStophasi. He further rnrr o-
marks that the slaves ate the fruit without re-
removed before they were served. Pliny also
relates a circumstance where a large army sub
sisted principally on this fruit for time. 1t is
also stated by several ancient authors that 1t was
a common belief among the natives that IL
s stFsaR rssemi ate CO eon ~ iihieG were in w gyeIso tRey oI lost a SG ai
desire to return to their friends. home. and
A second plant which is said TO have furnished
this peculiar fruit Is the date plum tDyOspYri
iotusj, a small tree which belongs to the same
said to be a native OF northern Africa, southern
France and Italy. Its fruit is about the size Of
our persimmon. but is not OF so fine a favor. 1t
Is also known as the lotus and as the food OF the
Lotophagi, by several Of the ancient authors.
austraIt9,. Ii belongs 70 The same genus that
our blackberry does, and is at home in northern
Africa, southern Spain, Italy France. and
broad-spreading limbs. Its fruit is about tho
size OF a common cherry, is dark red or black
taste, ike that OF our tree, is pleasant and
sugary. but slightly astringent and 1t is also said
TO have served as food to tho Lotophagi, hence
its common name Lote.
Another claimant, among trees. to the honor
cairoob tree 1teraio MD s 4 L. It belongs - I to
the bean family, and the seeds and pod are used
as Ssri Looa n 1pf man mani ana ma M GnimSls, 1t is sna OH IN
eastward. 1t is thought to he OF Syrian origin,
and that Il was carried westward by man. The
which Homer had in mind when he wrote the
passage quoted above from the Odyssey. This
| u tIt pant UIIuucu u III llt NEW lC5lUliItnt III
the parable of tho ~prodigal son. And there is u
tradition among the Christians In the East that
ST. John the Baptist fed upon tho fruit OF the
carob while in the desert; hence its other com.
mon name, JOhanRis Brodbaum-brea tree of
1t Will be observed that the four plants
named. so far. are all trees or shrubs; that
they bear fruits which are edible without being
the vicinity of the Mediterranean Sea. Homer's
account. of the experience Of Ulysses and his
companions while in the land Of the ,LOtophagi.
as well as that given by Tcnnyson, should lead
one to locate the home Of this very peculiar peo-
pie In the forest near the sea. rather than along
the margin Of n low, fiat river.
PIT there is another class Of plants which are
Gus people. Theophrastus, Diascoridess, and
Plinius az refer to TIE custom Of TIE people
water lilies. The name lotus is applied to
q least two distinct water plants, Tho
tus, IL. It has very much the appearance and
habit Of our common white pond lilies, except
and the flowers a bright purplish pink color. 1t
bears tpbers, deep n the soft mud, which are
so%po ssG i iaTs sRd o. sh stssc q q ah nin arg Gss s;d hRise a asa
when cooked have the appearance OF egg yellow;
But the difficulty Of 0btaining, the tubers and
coming useful 10 man as a food; Yet there are
many persons who believe that 1t is the plant Of
Tho Sacred Bean, or False Lotus lNelunbi
dafbors, PERIL Per, Ic,s Is s59 81 7 ~ plant snto named by s,s the
waters. and II Is found in Egypt, East India,
like seeds which are produced IN large top
shaped pods. and by underground stems, which
send up leaf and flower stalks. These under
ground stems also bear starchy tubers OF the size
and form Of bananas; from these tubers new
plants are developed. the same ms from potatoes.
The acorns and tubcrs are rich In starch, and arc
used extensively for food. The leaves stand on
a stem, usually several feet above water, are
circular, and as much as three feet in diameter.
The flowers are often nine inches In diameter, Of
a purplish pink color. This plant is held In great
Is regarded as sacred to Osiris and Isis; and In
Egyptian delineations IL signifies the, creating
fabioi to be derived from the blood Of silva
when Kdmadeva or Cupid wounded him with
his love arrow. Brahma is said to have come
forth from this blossom; and Buddha TO have
first appeared floating on this mystic flower.
Many other OF the Hindu deities are said to be
fond of resting on It's leaves.
The Chinese deity Lakshmi Is called the lotus
born, from having assembled from the ocean on
Its flower. 1t 10 also considered sacred 70 their
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