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The lotus tree (Greek: λωτός, lōtós) is a plant that is referred to in stories from Greek and Roman mythology.

The lotus tree is mentioned in Homer's Odyssey as bearing a fruit that caused a pleasant drowsiness, and which was said to be the only food of an island people called the Lotophagi or lotus-eaters. When they ate of the lotus tree, they would forget their friends and homes and would lose their desire to return to their native land in favor of living in idleness.^[1]

Botanical candidates for the lotus tree include the persimmon (Diospyros lotus), which is a sub-evergreen tree native to Southwest Asia and Southeast Europe that grows to about 25 ft (7.6 m) bearing yellowish green flowers, as well as Ziziphus lotus, a plant with an edible fruit closely related to the jujube, native to the Mediterranean region of Europe, Asia and North Africa.

In Ovid's Metamorphoses,^[2] the nymph Lotis was the beautiful daughter of Neptune, the god of water and the sea. In order to flee the violent attention of Priapus, she invoked the assistance of the gods, who answered her prayers by turning her into a lotus tree.^[3]

The Quran has a legendary plant, the Lote tree, that marks the end of the seventh heaven.^[4] In the Bible, the Book of Job also has two lines (40:21–22), with the Hebrew word צֶאֱלִים‎ (tse'elim),^[5] which appears nowhere else in the Bible. A recent translation into English has been "lotus trees" since the publication of the Revised Version of the King James Bible of 1881. However, it is otherwise rendered simply as "shady trees".^[6]

References

^ Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, page 526, by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer
^ Elizabeth Washington Wirt, Flora's dictionary
^ Richard Folkard, Plant lore, legends, and lyrics
^ Quran 53:14
^ צֶאֱלִים
^ Barnes, Albert (1857). Notes, critical, illustrative, and practical, on the book of Job with a new translation, and an introductory dissertation. Vol. II. New York: Leavitt and Allen. p. 276. Retrieved 2014-09-15., or html.

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[1] Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, page 526, by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer

[2] Elizabeth Washington Wirt, Flora's dictionary

[3] Richard Folkard, Plant lore, legends, and lyrics

[4] Quran 53:14

[5] צֶאֱלִים

[Barnes1857-6] Barnes, Albert (1857). Notes, critical, illustrative, and practical, on the book of Job with a new translation, and an introductory dissertation. Vol. II. New York: Leavitt and Allen. p. 276. Retrieved 2014-09-15., or html.

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-The '''lotus tree''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: λωτός, ''lōtós'') is a plant that is referred to in stories from [[Greek mythology|Greek]] and [[Roman mythology]].
+{{Short description|Plant in Greek and Roman mythology}}
+The '''lotus tree''' ({{lang-grc-gre|λωτός}}, ''lōtós'') is a plant that is referred to in stories from [[Greek mythology|Greek]] and [[Roman mythology]].
-The lotus tree is mentioned in [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'' as bearing a fruit that caused a pleasant drowsiness, and which was said to be the only food of an island people called the Lotophagi or [[Lotus-eaters]]. When they ate of the lotus tree they would forget their friends and homes and would lose their desire to return to their native land in favor of living in idleness.<ref>Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, page 526, by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer</ref>  Botanical candidates for the lotus tree include the [[date-plum]] (''Diospyros lotus''), which is a sub-evergreen tree native to Africa that grows to about 25 feet bearing yellowish green flowers,<ref>John Marius Wilson, ''The rural cyclopedia: or a general dictionary of agriculture, and ..., Volume 2''</ref> as well as ''[[Ziziphus lotus]]'', a plant with an edible fruit closely related to the [[jujube]], native to [[North Africa]] and the islands in the [[Gulf of Gabes]] such as [[Jerba]].
+The lotus tree is mentioned in [[Homer]]'s ''[[Odyssey]]'' as bearing a fruit that caused a pleasant drowsiness, and which was said to be the only food of an island people called the Lotophagi or [[lotus-eaters]]. When they ate of the lotus tree, they would forget their friends and homes and would lose their desire to return to their native land in favor of living in idleness.<ref>Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, page 526, by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer</ref>
+Botanical candidates for the lotus tree include the persimmon (''[[Diospyros lotus]]''), which is a sub-evergreen tree native to [[Southwest Asia]] and [[Southeast Europe]] that grows to about {{convert|25|ft|abbr=on}} bearing yellowish green flowers, as well as ''[[Ziziphus lotus]]'', a plant with an edible fruit closely related to the [[jujube]], native to the [[Mediterranean region]] of Europe, Asia and [[North Africa]].
 In [[Ovid]]'s ''[[Metamorphoses]]'',<ref>Elizabeth Washington Wirt, ''Flora's dictionary''</ref> the [[nymph]] [[Lotis (mythology)|Lotis]] was the beautiful daughter of [[Neptune (mythology)|Neptune]], the god of water and the sea.  In order to flee the violent attention of [[Priapus]], she invoked the assistance of the gods, who answered her prayers by turning her into a lotus tree.<ref>Richard Folkard, ''Plant lore, legends, and lyrics''</ref>
-The [[Book of Job]] has two lines ({{bibleverse-nb||job|40:21-22}}), with the Hebrew word צֶאֱלִים{{ltr}},<ref>{{Strong Hebrew|6628}}</ref> which appears [[Hapax legomenon|nowhere else]] in the Bible. A common translation has been ''lotus trees'' since the publication of the [[Revised Version]]. However it is sometimes rendered simply as "shady trees".<ref name=Barnes1857>{{Cite book| publisher = Leavitt and Allen| last = Barnes| first = Albert| authorlink = Albert Barnes (theologian) | title = Notes, critical, illustrative, and practical, on the book of Job with a new translation, and an introductory dissertation| location = New York| accessdate = 2014-09-15| date = 1857 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=0-dHAQAAIAAJ | volume = II | at = p. 276}}, or [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/job/40.htm html].</ref>
+The [[Quran]] has a legendary plant, the [[Sidrat al-Muntaha|Lote tree]], that marks the end of the [[Seven Heavens|seventh heaven]].<ref>{{Cite quran|53|14|style=ns}}</ref> In the Bible, the [[Book of Job]] also has two lines ({{bibleverse-nb||job|40:21-22}}), with the Hebrew word צֶאֱלִים{{ltr}} (''tse'elim''),<ref>{{Strong-number|צֶאֱלִים|H|6628}}</ref> which appears [[Hapax legomenon|nowhere else]] in the Bible. A recent translation into English has been "lotus trees" since the publication of the [[Revised Version]] of the [[King James Bible]] of 1881. However, it is otherwise rendered simply as "shady trees".<ref name=Barnes1857>{{Cite book| publisher = Leavitt and Allen| last = Barnes| first = Albert| author-link = Albert Barnes (theologian) | title = Notes, critical, illustrative, and practical, on the book of Job with a new translation, and an introductory dissertation| location = New York| access-date = 2014-09-15| date = 1857 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=0-dHAQAAIAAJ | volume = II | at = p. 276}}, or [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/job/40.htm html].</ref>
 ==See also==
+* [[List of plants known as lotus]]
-* [[Lotus-eaters]]
 * [[Lotus (genus)|''Lotus'' (genus)]]
-* [[Sidrat al-Muntaha|Lote tree]]
-* ''[[Ziziphus lotus]]''
 * ''[[Nymphaea lotus]]''
+* [[Lotus-eaters#Mythology|Lotus-eaters]]
 ==References==
-{{Reflist}}
+{{Reflist|30em}}
+{{Greek religion|state=collapsed}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Lotus Tree}}
@@ Line 22: / Line 25: @@
 [[Category:Greek mythology]]
 [[Category:Trees in mythology]]
-[[Category:Mythic plants]]
+[[Category:Mythological plants]]
+[[Category:Odyssey]]
+{{AncientGreek-reli-stub}}