Waiting for a Warrior that Would Never Come (Cicones)

I continue telling the Phaeacians of the story of the Cicones.

I tell them of how we "killed the men who fought" us and how we "enslaved the women." I told my men ,

"Back, and quickly! Out to sea again !" My men were fools and would not listen to me , for they had drunk too much wine. Natives ran on shore to go and summon the army of the Cicones.

The army was fierce , and arrived with dawn just setting over us. (I have paused at this place in my story , not wanting to continue with the violent images that are turning in my mind.) We fought the Cicones , but not without consequence. We continued our journey with six lonely benches on our ship , waiting for a warrior that would never come.

--Odysseus