@detroitmechworks

Homer claims that Penelope was a faithful and dutiful wife who never cheated.

Graves on the Other hand, claims that she was a sacred Orgiastic prostitute who slept with ALL of the suitors giving birth to Pan. He justifies this myth by claiming that Penelope was a mother goddess priestess who was seduced by the Patriarchal Odysseus, and that her maintaining the house while he was gone was just the Natural order of things and that the suitors were merely other Patriarchal figures trying to end Mother Goddess worship.

Looks like you found a place where Robert Graves decided to speculate -- a lot. (He didn't offer any direct evidence for this conjecture, did he?)

Here's unum grano salis to take that conjecture with:

Just to let you know: I've been reading each and every one of these, and am very impressed indeed! Excellent work, amice!

with both Homer and Graves. BUT I have reason, and I'll explain.

Homer claims that Penelope was a faithful and dutiful wife who never cheated.

Graves on the Other hand, claims that she was a sacred Orgiastic prostitute who slept with ALL of the suitors giving birth to Pan. He justifies this myth by claiming that Penelope was a mother goddess priestess who was seduced by the Patriarchal Odysseus, and that her maintaining the house while he was gone was just the Natural order of things and that the suitors were merely other Patriarchal figures trying to end Mother Goddess worship.

I honestly find that conjecture to be completely full of shit because of the fact that Graves uses Roman sources which reference each OTHER to build that conjecture, and Romans were extremely fond of portraying their political opponents in the worst light possible. Aristophanes clearly refutes that claim eight centuries earlier in "Women in Assembly" by his specific reference of Penelope as the most faithful of wives of which there "Are none the like of these Days".

In addition, Pan has multiple origins in myth, most of which are fairly tame. A roman looking to spice up a stage show might resort to the exact same type of sweeps week crap that soap operas do, by having the faithful wife cheat on her husband.

Clearly marital fidelity was a MAJOR factor in all myths surrounding Penelope, Until the Romans jumped in. But... there's that ten year gap and it bugs the hell out of me. Especially Considering that Odysseus was unfaithful, and yet they were still reconciled.

So, I conjecture that they were a rare thing in ancient days. A truly equal couple. She kept things together, but he was the public face, Since Matriarchal lineage was still present in Athens at this time but there was a heavy push to install Patriarchal lineage.(According to Graves, primarily, BUT I also have reason to suspect this because of Antisthenes and the anecdote of his defending himself because his MOTHER was not an Athenian)

So yes, I believe that Penelope was faithful. In her own way. She didn't submit to any of the Patriarchal domination of her household, which would have occurred had she born a Patriarch's son. Which isn't to say she was chaste. But her reactions to her maids sleeping with the suitors suggests that the big issue here was one of power and sexual politics regarding property.

Now, that of course is the long version of my theory.

Short Version: Odysseus and Penelope had an agreement. They were very much in love in a very old fashioned way which Patriarchy was trying to stamp out.

Edit: I have been informed that my theory mirror Margaret Atwood's theories in "The Penelopiad"