THOAS OF AETOLIA (son of Andraemon and Gorge)

He brought forty ships to the campaign, leading the Aetolian forces during the conflict.^4,1 Thoas stood up to join the group of nine men selected for a task, rising alongside Agamemnon and Diomed.⁸ He assisted the sons of Atreus in destroying the empire of Priam.⁶ Idomeneus urged him to continue exhorting all troops to fight their best, and he consistently encouraged other soldiers to maintain their duty in battle.⁹

In one fierce engagement, Thoas struck Peirous in the chest near the nipple with a spear, pulled it out, and then killed him by striking him in the belly with his sword.¹⁰ However, he was driven back by Thracian comrades defending Peirous's corpse.¹⁰ Later, he advised the Danaans to retreat to their ships while elite troops held the line, suggesting that the gods were protecting Hector and allowing him to fight masterfully.⁷

Thoas led the Aetolians in capturing the city of Temesa from the Ausonians.¹¹ He also ruled the island of Lemnos.¹² During a time of distress, Thyoneus aided him, while his father prayed to Zeus to prevent his death.¹²

Despite his father's prayers, the Fates cut short Thoas's life.¹² Tydeus wounded him in the face during the battle.¹³ He was the father of Haemon, who was the father of Oxylus, and his mother was a sister to the mother of Hyllus.^6,5 Odysseus married the daughter of Thoas.²