
Midas (died 695 BC) was the King of Phrygia from 740 to 695 BC. In Greek mythology, he was said to have been cursed with the "golden touch" by the Hellenic god Dionysus due to his immense greed; while he initially enjoyed his ability to turn anything he touched into gold, he asked Dionysus to relieve him of his gift once he turned his daughter into solid gold, and he was given the power to wash off the gold with water.
Biography[]
Midas was born in Phrygia, Anatolia, and he became King in around 740 BC. He married a Greek princess descended from Agamemnon, Damodice, and he traded extensively with the Greek world; his was credited with inventing coined money. However, Greek mythology would mark Midas as an even greater lover of wealth, especially gold. He amassed a fortune in a secluded treasure room, and, when the god Dionysus found that Midas and his court had generously accommodated his missing tutor Silenus, he offered to give Midas any reward he wished for. Midas wished that whatever he touch should turn to gold, and he tested his power by turning an oak twig and a stone to gold. Overjoyed, he turned his daughter Zoe's rose garden to gold, but he came to regret his wish when he was unable to eat or drink, as his food and water turned gold. His daughter came to him to complain about someone ruining her rose garden, but, when she witnessed him have a breakdown from being unable to eat or drink, she touched him comfort him, causing her to turn to gold. Heartbroken, Midas prayed to Dionysus to be delivered of his curse. Dionysus told him that he could wash the gold off of anything he put in the River Pactolus. His last use of the gift was touching the sands of the river while washing his hands, leading to the river becoming rich in gold and electrum and providing Lydia with its wealth. He now hated wealth and splendor, and he became a worshipper of Pan, while Orpheus was said to have tutored him in music. When Apollo defeated Pan in a music contest, Midas challenged the ruling, so Apollo quipped that Midas must have the ears of an ass; suddenly, Midas grew a donkey's ears. Humiliated, he committed suicide by drinking an ox's blood; at the same time as his death, the nomadic Cimmerians invaded his kingdom and burned down his capital of Gordium.