What happened to the men who ate the lotus at the land of the lotus-eaters?

The lotus that the lotus-eaters ate contained a type of drug. This made the three crew men who ate the lotus very contented, and forgetful of their home land. All three of them wanted to stay and eat lotus forever, and thus had to be dragged back to the ship by Odysseus. Odysseus saved them and they left; they didn't live there forever.

Metaphorically, the lotus represents a type of temptation to live the easy life and give up on the journey.