Thoas (king of Corinth)

This article is about the grandson of Sisyphus who was the king of Corinth. For other mythical figures of this name, see Thoas (mythology).

In Greek mythology, Thoas (Ancient Greek: Θόας, "fleet, swift"^[1]) was a prince of Corinth who succeeded his father Ornytion to the throne.

Family

Thoas and his brother Phocus, the eponymous founder of Phocis, were the sons of King Ornytion, who was the son of Sisyphus.^[2] According to Corinthian tradition, Thoas and his descendants continued to rule Corinth until the coming of the Heraclids.

Mythology

According to the geographer Pausanias, Thoas remained in Corinth, succeeding his father as its ruler, while his brother Phocus led a colony to Tithorea. Thoas was the father of Damophon, Damophon of Propodas, and Propodas of Doridas and Hyanthidas. During the reign of the latter two, Corinth was seized by the Dorians under the command of Aletes, son of Hippotes. The brothers handed control of Corinth to him and were allowed to remain in the city, while the rest of the people were expelled.^[3]

Notes

1. LSJ, s.v. Θόας.
2. Hard, p. 434; Grimal, s.v. Thoas 5; Parada, s.v. 8; Pausanias, 2.4.3
3. Pausanias, 2.4.3.

References

• Grimal, Pierre, The Dictionary of Classical Mythology, Wiley-Blackwell, 1996. ISBN 978-0-631-20102-1.
• Hard, Robin, The Routledge Handbook of Greek Mythology: Based on H.J. Rose's "Handbook of Greek Mythology", Psychology Press, 2004, ISBN 9780415186360. Google Books.
• Liddell, Henry George, Robert Scott. A Greek-English Lexicon. Revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones with the assistance of. Roderick McKenzie. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1940. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Parada, Carlos, Genealogical Guide to Greek Mythology, Jonsered, Paul Åströms Förlag, 1993. ISBN 978-91-7081-062-6.
• Pausanias, Description of Greece with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. ISBN 0-674-99328-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
• Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.