KING MIDAS AND THE GOLDEN TOUCH

The story of King Midas is a myth about the tragedy of avarice and narrates what
happens when true happiness is not recognized. Midas was a man who wished that
everything he touched would turn into gold. However, he had not thought that this wish
was not actually a blessing but a curse. His greed invites us to think the consequences
that my lead us to become slaves of our own desires. The phrase ‘the Midas touch’ comes
from this myth and is used to say that somebody has a good fortune.
The wish

Midas was a king of great fortune who ruled the country of Phrygia, in Asia
Minor. He had everything a king could wish for. He lived in luxury and in a great castle.
He shared his life to abundance with his beautiful daughter. Even though he was very
rich, Midas thought that his great happiness was provided by gold. His avarice was such
that he used to spend his days counting his golden coins! Occasionally he used to cover
his body with gold objects, as if he wanted to bath in with them. Money was his
obsession.

KING MIDAS
 DIONYSUS

The curse

One day, Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, passed through the kingdom of
Midas. One of his companions a satyr named Silenus, got delayed along the way. Silenus
got tired and decided to take a nap in the famous rose garden, surrounding the palace of
King Midas. There, he was found by the king, who recognized hi m instantly and invited
him to spend a few days in his palace. After that, Midas took him to Dionysus, the god of
celebration, very grateful to Midas for his kindness, promised Midas to satisfy any wish
for him. Midas thought for a while and then said: “I hope that everything I touch becomes
gold”. Dionysus warned the king to think well about his wish, but Midas was positive.
Dionysus could not do anything else and promised the king that from that following day
everything he would touch would turn to gold.

SILENUS

DIONYSUS
The curse
One day, Dionysus, the god of wine and revelry, passed through the kingdom of Midas. One of his companions a satyr named Silenus, got delayed along the way. Silenus got tired and decided to take a nap in the famous rose gard en, surrounding the palace of King Midas. There, he was found by the king, who recognized hi m instantly and invited him to spend a f ew d ays in his palace. Af ter that, Midas took him to Dionysus, the god of celebration, very gratef ul to Midas for his kindness, promised Midas to satisfy any wish f or him. Mid as thought for a while and then said : “I hope that everything I touch becomes gold”. Dionysus warned the king to think well about his wish, but Midas was positive. Dionysus could not d o anything else and promised the king that from that following day everything he would touch would turn to gold.

The next day, Midas woke up eager to see if his wish would become true. He
extended his arms 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 sense
fear. Tears filled his eyes and that moment, his beloved daughter entered the room. When
Midas hug her, she turned into golden statue. Despaired and fearful, he raised his arms
and prayed to Dionysus to take this curse from him.

The atonement

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 into the river and was astonished to see gold
flowing from his hands. The ancient Greeks said they have found gold on the banks of
river Pactolus. When he turned home, everything Midas had touched had become normal
again. Midas hug 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 moored
for his beloved king.
KING MIDAS

Midas was the king of Pessinus, capital of Phrygia, a region in Asia Minor. He
was the adopted son of Gordias and Cybele and was well known for his pristine rose
garden and love of the pleasures of life.
The most famous myth about King Midas is when he received the golden touch
from Dionysus, god of the life force. Dionysus was associated with intoxication and was
followed by a group of satyrs -- half human, half goat individuals with a lust for wine and
sexual pleasures. The leader of the satyrs, entrusted with Dionysus' education, was
Silenus. One day, completely in character for a satyr, Silenus became intoxicated and
passed out in Midas' rose garden. The peasants found him and brought him before their
king. Luckily, Midas recognized Silenus and treated him well for five days and nights.
During this time, Silenus entertained Midas and his court with fantastic tales.

Dionysus came to Midas and was glad to be reunited with Silenus his surrogate
father. He decided to reward Midas for his hospitality and granted him one wish. Midas
wished that everything he touched be turned to gold. Dionysus warned him about the
dangers of such a wish, but Midas was too distracted with the prospect of being
surrounded by gold to listen. Dionysus gave him the gift. Initially, King Midas was
thrilled with his new gift and turned everything he could to gold, including his beloved
roses. His attitude changed, however, when he was unable to eat or drink since his food
and wine were also changed to unappetizing gold. He even accidentally killed his
daughter when he touched her, and this truly made him realize the depth of his mistake.
Desperate, Midas pleaded to Dionysus for help. Dionysus instructed Midas to bathe in the
headwaters of the Pactolus River, and the wish would be washed away. Midas went to the
river, and as soon as he touched the water, the river carried away the golden touch. The
gold settled in the sands of the Pactolus River and was carried downstream to Lydia, one
of the richest kingdoms in the ancient world and the source of the earliest coinage.

This myth is ethiological since it explains why the Pactolus River is rich with
gold and how Lydia came to be one of the richest kingdoms. It is also carries a common
motif in Greek folklore � the "short-sighted wish". Midas let his greed blind him to the
future. Most notably, this myth has aspects characteristic of myths of Dionysus. Child
sacrifice is a frequent theme in Dionysian myths. Frequently, Dionysus would punish
mortals indirectly by having them kill their own children. King Midas kills his daughter
by turning her to gold. He pays for his greed.

After the death of his daughter, Midas hated wealth and splendor and became a
worshiper of Pan, god of woodlands. In another myth, Pan challenged Apollo, god of the
music, to a test of skill at music. Tmolus, god of the mountain, was the judge at the
contest and ruled that Apollo was the victor. Midas, being a follower of Pan, questioned
the ruling and this offended Apollo. As a punishment for Midas' lack of musical "taste",
Apollo changed Midas' ears into donkey ears. Ashamed of his disfigurement, he hid his
ears under a large hat with only his barber knowing about the deformity. It was so hard
for the barber to keep the secret that he dug a hole, whispered the secret into the hole,
then covered it with earth. From this spot grew reeds that whispered, "Midas has donkey
ears!" every time the wind blew. Another version has the queen letting out the secret. In
the end, Midas ran away from Phrygia never to be heard from again.

The Pactolus is a small river in Lydia, Asia Minor, once famous for the particles
of gold in its sands, which were legendary due to Midas having bathed there. Midas is
also called 'the Berecynthain Hero', after Mount Berecynthus in Phrygia.
 Quiz

Name: Date:__________

Program: Reporter:__________

I. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if not.

_________1. King Midas story is a myth about tragedy of avarice and narrates what
happen when true happiness is not recognized.

_________2. Zeus, the king of gods, passed through the kingdom of Midas.

_________3. King Midas wishes that everything he touched would turn into silver.

_________4. Money was king Midas’ obsession.

_________5. The god did not warn the king to think well about his wish.

_________6. A satyr named Silenus got delayed along the way and decided to take a nap
in the famous garden surrounding the palace of King Midas.

_________7. King of Great Fortune named Midas ruled the country of Phrygia.

_________8. Apollo, god of wine and revelry, was grateful to Midas for his kindness.

_________9. The god told Midas to go to river Pactolus and wash his hands to remove
his curse.

_________10. After being cursed, King Midas became better person and generous for all
goods of his life.
 II. Match Column A to Column B on the space provided. Letter only.

A B

____1. Phrygia a. Europe

____2. “Midas’ touch” b. Asia Minor

____3. God of wine and revelry c. Pactolus

____4. Silenus d. King Midas

____5. River e. King Midas and

____6. Found gold banks of river the golden

____7. Greedy king f. Ancient Greeks

____8. Myth about tragedy of avarice g. Dionysus

h. satyr

i. good fortune

111.ESSAY

1. What message can be drawn from the story of King Midas and the golden touch?
 2. If you were King Midas, what would be your ultimate wish to Dionysus?

KEY ANSWERS:
TEST I
1.)True
2.)False
3.)False
4.)True
5.)False
6.)True
7.)True
8.)False
9.)True
10.)True

TEST II.
1.)B
2.)I
3.)G
4.)H
5.)C
6.)F
7.)D
8.)E