The Midas Touch

The phrase Midas touch is sometimes used as a compliment or expression of jealousy: we refer to someone who seems able to make money easily as having "the Midas touch". However the story was originally intended as a cautionary tale against greed - the Midas touch appeared to be a gift but turned into a curse.

The Legend

According to ancient Greek legend, the satyr Silenus - friend and foster-father of the god Dionysus (known to the Romans as Bacchus) - went missing after a drunken session. Midas, king of Phyrgia, found Silenus and entertained him well in the royal palace before taking him back to Dionysus. In gratitude Dionysus offered to grant Midas one wish. The greedy king then wished that anything he touched should turn into gold.

At first Midas was delighted with his new power and went round creating golden stones, trees and all manner of things. However when he sat down to eat he found that his food also turned to gold. Dionysus, as is the way of gods, had granted his wish literally. As if it wasn't bad enough that Midas was likely to die of starvation, he then made the mistake of touching his daughter - turning her into a golden statue.

Midas realised that his "gift" was a curse and begged Dionysus to remove it from him. The god took pity on the greedy king and told him to wash in the river Pactolus. When Midas did so the curse was lifted, but not before the sands of the river had been turned to gold.