The island of the Lotus-Eaters.
Although Meninx was not mentioned by name in the Odyssey, Homer made reference to the general location of the Lotus-Eaters' island. The historian Herodotus (fl. fifth century BCE) located the home of the Lotus-Eaters as being off the northern coast of Libya but he too did not mention Meninx. The geographer Strabo (first century BCE) clearly identified the island of the Lotus-Eaters as Meninx.
Latitude North, Longitude East
33.8100, 10.8701
Odysseus left Troy with his plunder and loyal comrades. Rounding the Cape of Malea at the eastern tip of the Peloponnesian Peninsula, Odysseus' small fleet was blasted by Boreas (North Wind). The gale winds drove the ships past the island of Kythera (Cythera) and continued to push them off course for nine days. On the tenth day they landed on the island of Meninx, the home of the Lotus Eaters.
Thankful to find an island with food and water, the crew gathered provisions for their continued voyage. Odysseus thought it prudent to send three men to explore the island. One of the men was a herald, it was his task to make contact with the natives and announce the presence of peaceful visitors to the island. The Lotus Eaters were not dangerous in the usual sense because they ingested an addictive lotus plant that made them lethargic and simpleminded. The men of Odysseus' scouting party mingled with the Lotus Eaters and were offered the honey-sweet fruit of the lotus. The men quickly became forgetful of their mission and did not return to the ships.
Odysseus searched the island and found his men in a state of lotus-induced bliss. He was forced to drag the weeping men back to the ships where they were tied to the rowing benches to prevent their escape. Odysseus immediately ordered his ships to sea so they could escape the island of the Lotus Eaters.
| References: Homer, Odyssey book 9, lines 84, 91, 92 and 96 Strabo, Geography book 3.4.3; book 17.3.8 and 3.17 Herodotus, The Histories book 4.177 |