Homer

"Zeus has torn away my joy.
But there's something else that mortifies me now.
Your way is a far cry from the time-honored way
of suitors locked in rivalry, striving to win
some noble woman, a wealthy man's daughter.
They bring in their own calves and lambs
to feast the friends of the bride-to-be, yes,
and shower her with gleaming gifts as well.
They don't devour the woman's goods scot-free."
Staunch Odysseus glowed with joy to hear all this --
his wife's trickery luring gifts from her suitors now,
enchanting their hearts with suave seductive words
but all the while with something else in mind.
(Homer's 'Odyssey', Book 18, lines 307-318.)

I chose this passage, for it reveals a new side of Penelope's character. Until now she has been pretty passive and lax. She doesn't really seem to be caring about what is going on. She is annoyed with the suitors, and weeps for her husband, but doesn't really do anything. However, in this passage, she decides to trick her cadging suitors, who have been carousing and causing quite a pandemonium. She tells them to start courting her like real men and give her rich gifts, so she will be more inclined to pick a new husband. However, she has no intention of marrying any of them, any time soon. She, like Odysseus, is able to deceive her enemies easily with fanciful fables. Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, hears her and is impressed. He realizes she is much like him, and he is enraptured. He is proud, thinking "yes, that is my wife up there robbing those pernicious suitors blind. Ha, ha." It almost makes me laugh just thinking about it -- the interesting development of Odysseus's wife, Penelope.

Homer

With that promise,
off and away Athena the bright-eyed goddess flew
like a bird in soaring flight
but left his spirit filled with nerve and courage,
charged with his father's memory more than ever now.
He felt his senses quicken, overwhelmed with wonder--
this was a god, he knew it well and made at once
for the suitors, a man like a god himself... (l. 366- 373)
...until discreet Telemachus took command: "You suitors
who plague my mother, you, you insolent, overweening...
for this evening let us dine and take our pleasure,
no more shouting now... But at first light
we all march forth to assembly, take our seats
so I can give my orders and say to you straight out:
You must leave my palace! (l. 422-430)

I loved this passage from Homer's Odyssey. Athena comes to Prince Telemachus, who was feeling like a weak, used boy. However, she strengthens him with words and an intriguing portent, and he watches her fly away in wondrous splendor, frowning and scratching his head. After her visit and warning against the pernicious suitors, he finds that he has the guts to take command, like his father. So, followed by an unseen guard, he approaches the bevy of suitors and orders them out of his palace. They ignore him, but it is still a start. I just love the idea of a weak son of a strong man, finally finding the hidden power inside him to stand up to the bullies. Of course, it always helps when a goddess gives you the words. (The green is the two participial phrases from Kilgallon.)

Theogony

But Rhea was subject in love to Cronos (there is a lot of love in the god's family. I mean that is practically the only thing that gets talked about) and bare splendid children, Hestia, Demeter, and gold-shod Hera and strong Hades, pitiless in heart, who dwells under the earth, and loud-crashing Earth-Shaker (it means Poseidon, but why does it not say his name?), and wise Zeus, father of gods (though he actually was not the father; only the leader) and men, by whose thunder the wide earth is shaken. (It is interesting that Zeus, the aegis-holder, is not The Earth-Shaker, yet he does shake the Earth.) These great Cronos swallowed as each came forth from the womb to his mother's knees (if the "his" is referring to Cronos, then "mother" would be referring to Gaea, right? Meaning the babies came from Rhea and before they touched the Earth, Cronos swallowed them up) with this intent, that no other of the proud sons of Heaven should hold the kingly office amongst the deathless gods. (But this action sealed his fate. If Cronos, "the wily", had raised his sons and daughters like a real dad, would they still have overthrown him?) For he learned from Earth and starry Heaven that he was destined to be overcome by his own son, strong though he was, through the contriving of great Zeus. (This passage was taken from page 12, or ll. 453-491 of Hesoid's Theogony.)

(The blue is my response, and the green is the appositive phrases.)
Verily, the story is as it is. It continues with Cronos, with all his cunning/craftiness and the intelligence of a god, not being able to tell a rock from a baby, and thus allowing Zeus to grow in might and glory, until he was able to slice Cronos into a zillion pieces. That is the great thing about the Greek mythology. It is so messed up, its funny. I mean, its all love and war, none of which is played fairly. Hesoid's Theogony was a bit confusing, but if you are aware of the story of the god it is not that difficult. I thought it was interesting, in the passage which we read, that the twelve Olympians were not really talked about until the last quarter. I thought the mythology was all about them, so it was entertaining to learn different.