Why is odysseus's speech from king alcinous's banquet so important?

Which is the most effective paraphrase of the passage "six benches were left empty in every ship that evening when we pulled away from death. and this new grief we bore with us to sea: our precious lives we had, but not our friends" - the odyssey

Read the excerpt from "a modest proposal." the poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own, which by law may be made liable to a distress, and to pay their landlord's rent, their corn and cattle being already seized, and money a thing unknown. which statement effectively uses a quotation to show that swift claims that the poor will also benefit from his proposal? “swift writes that poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own, which by law may be made liable to a distress.” swift writes that poorer tenants will finally have something to pay their landlord’s rent since they have neither money nor trade. swift writes that poorer tenants will have something to trade for rent since “their corn and cattle” have already been seized. swift writes that “poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own” that can “ to pay their landlord’s rent.”

What is the meaning of each underlined word in these excerpts from "a modest proposal" by jonathan swift? i think it is agreed by all parties, that this prodigious number of children in the arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of their mothers, and frequently of their fathers, is in the present deplorable state of the kingdom, a very great additional grievance; and therefore whoever could find out a fair, cheap and easy method of making these children sound and useful members of the common-wealth, would deserve so well of the publick, as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation. some persons of a desponding spirit are in great concern about that vast number of poor people, who are aged, diseased, or maimed; and i have been desired to employ my thoughts what course may be taken, to ease the nation of so grievous an incumbrance. the word prodigious means . the word desponding means .