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| Size | Seeds | Peers | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 241.53 KiB | 0 | 0 | 55 |
King Midas (Ancient Greek: Μίδας) was a king of Phrygia (Anatolia). He is best known for the myth of Midas and the Golden Touch and for judging a music contest between Pan and Apollo.
The most famous myth about King Midas is when he received the golden touch from Dionysus.
Dionysus found that his old schoolmaster and foster father, the satyr Silenus, was missing. The old satyr had been drinking wine and wandered away drunk, to be found by some Phrygian peasants who carried him to their king, Midas (alternatively, Silenus passed out in Midas' rose garden). Midas recognized him and treated him hospitably. For his kind treatment of Silenus Midas was rewarded by Dionysus with a wish. 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, Zoë, 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.
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