King Midas and the Gold
Midas was a king of Phrygia, a region nowadays part of Turkey. One day some of his farmhands
brought him a satyr they had caught napping in the vineyard. This creature, part man, part goat, still
groggy and much the worse for wear, had been thoroughly trussed up to keep him from escaping.
Silenus, the satyr, explained that he and his master had just returned from the East where they had
been engaged in spreading the cultivation of the grape.
Midas recognized the follower of Dionysus and decided not to punish him, especially since
Silenus decided to stay at the court entertaining Midas with frantic stories about the pleasures of
life. The god of celebration, very grateful to Midas for his kindness, promised Midas to satisfy any
wish of him. Now, you didn't get to rule a kingdom in those days without a pretty active grasp of
what makes for a successful economy. Midas thought for a while and then he said: I hope that
everything I touch becomes gold. Dionysus warned the king about the potential dangers of and to
think well about his wish, but Midas was positive. Dionysus could do nothing else and promised the
king that from that following day everything he touched would turn into gold, thus granting him
with the infamous Midas Touch.
Midas woke up eager to see if his wish would become true. He extended his arm, touching a
small table that immediately turned into gold. Midas jumped with happiness! He then touched a
chair, the carpet, the door, his bathtub, a table and so he kept on running in his madness all over his
palace until he got exhausted and happy at the same time! He sat at the table to have breakfast and
took a rose between his hands to smell its fragrance. When he touched it, the rose became gold. I
will have to absorb the fragrance without touching the roses, I suppose, he thought in
disappointment.
Without even thinking, he ate a grape, but it also turned into gold! The same happened with
a slice of bread, and a glass of water. Suddenly, he started to feel fear. Midas started understanding
the warnings of Dionysus and the depth of his mistake and greed. Tears filled his eyes and at that
moment, his beloved daughter entered the room. When Midas hugged her, she turned into a golden
statue!
Despaired and fearful, he raised his arms and prayed to Dionysus to take this curse from
him. Midas went to Dionysus, desperate, and begged him to free him from this “curse”. The god
heard Midas and felt sorry for him. He told Midas to go to river Pactolus and wash his hands. Midas
did so: he ran to the river and was astonished to see gold flowing from his hands. According to the
myth, the gold settled in the sand of the river and was carried to another country of the East, Lydia,
that became one of the richest countries of the antiquity.
When he turned home, everything Midas had touched had become normal again. Midas
hugged his daughter in full happiness and decided to share his great fortune with his people. From
now on, Midas became a better person, generous and grateful for all goods of his life. His people led
a prosperous life and when he died, they all mourned for their beloved king. This myth gives an
explanation why River Pactolus is rich with gold, but mostly refers to one of the most well-known
beliefs of the Greeks: the short-sighted wish, and the punishment for greed.
The phrase Midas Touch is used still today to describe the ability of a person to make lots of
money or create successful events, build a career and wealth. It has lost its negative meaning,
although it is still associated with greed. Midas is used as a personification of greed, which is
considered one of the seven deadly sins.