When Odysseus and his men landed on the island of the Lotus-Eaters, Odysseus sent out a scouting party of three or so men who ate the lotus with the natives. This caused them to fall sleep and stop caring about ever going home. Odysseus went after the scouting party and dragged them back against their will to the ship and set sail.

A scouting party led by Odysseus (and his friend, Misenus), lands in the territory of the Cyclopes and ventures upon a large cave. They enter the cave and proceed to feast on some food they find there. Unknown to them, this cave is the home of Polyphemus, who was rumored to be Poseidon’s son, who soon comes upon the trespassers and traps them in the cave by blocking the entrace with a boulder that could not be moved by mortal men. He proceeds to eat several crew members, but Odysseus devised a cunning plan for escape.