Named for Thoas, the commander of the Aitolians, a tough man at spear-throwing, and eloquent in argument. The god Poseidon {see planet  (4341)} (who favored the Greeks) must have respected Thoas for both his warlike skills and for his eloquence, because Poseidon chose to take the shape of Thoas, and, in Thoas’s voice, rallied the Greeks when the Trojans were close to the Greek ships, and fought beside the Greeks in the shape of Thoas. (M 18647) _ _.