When they arrive in the land of the Lotus Eaters, Odysseus sends out a total of three men (2 men and a runner) to explore the island. These three men eat the Lotus and lose "their hope of home," which means they forget about their entire goal: to go back to Ithaca. Odysseus warns the rest of his men not to eat the Lotus and ties up the three men in an attempt to bring them home anyway. He understands that eating the plant will make you want to stay on the island.
