King Midas of Phrygia is best known for his ability to turn everything he touches into gold. Unfortunately, this gift turned into a curse very quickly for him.
King Midas was a wealthy king who loved gold and believed that wealth should only lie in the hands of kings. There are two versions of his myth. The first version is that one day, his men found Silenus, Dionysus’ mentor, wandering around in the woods after a night of drinking. To thank Midas for returning Silenus, Dionysus offered him any gift he wanted. Midas asked to be able to turn everything he touched into gold. He soon realized this was a problem, because he couldn’t eat or drink anything without it turning to gold first. Finally, he touched his daughter and she turned into a gold statue. He went to Dionysus in desperation, who told him to wash all of the gold from his body in the river, and everything would return to normal. On his way back, he came across Apollo and Pan having a piping and harp contest in the woods. He sided with Pan as being the winner of the contest, so Apollo angrily observed that Midas must need better ears. All of a sudden, giant donkey ears started to grow from Midas’ head. He was stuck with these ears for the rest of his life.
In another version of the myth, Midas was jealous of Apollo being able to spread golden light wherever he went. He cursed Apollo every day, until finally Apollo came down and gave Midas the gift of turning everything he touched into gold. Midas first touched his daughter and she turned into a golden statue, but he was not bothered by his gift until he discovered that all of his food and drink turned to gold. He finally realized that he had wronged the gods with his attitude and Apollo removed the curse, but gave him a pair of donkey’s ears to humiliate Midas. Midas’ barber knew about the ears and spread the gossip around the kingdom. When Midas found out, he was about to execute the man when he realized that Apollo had been merciful to him; in turn, he decided he would spare the barber’s life. At that point, Apollo returned and removed the ears, saying that Midas had learned the important lessons of humility and mercy.
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Try it for Free!King Midas Quick Reference
Parents
Gordias and Cybele
Notable Myths
- King Midas and the Golden Touch
Companions
Damodice
Symbols / Attributes
- Gold
- Donkey Ears
Be sure to check out the lesson plans for "King Midas' Golden Touch", a short story based on this Greek myth!
How Tos about Midas and the Golden Touch
Introduce King Midas’s story with engaging visuals
Start your lesson by showing pictures and artwork that depict King Midas and the golden touch. This grabs students’ attention and provides visual context for the myth.
Facilitate a classroom discussion on greed and consequences
Lead students in a conversation about greed and its effects, using King Midas’s choices as examples. Ask open-ended questions to encourage sharing and critical thinking.
Guide students to retell the myth in their own words
Invite students to summarize King Midas’s story, either aloud or in writing. This helps them process the key events and moral lessons in a personalized way.
Create a simple classroom skit to reinforce the story
Ask small groups to act out scenes from the myth. Assign roles such as King Midas, his daughter, and the god Dionysus to make the learning active and memorable.
Connect the lesson to everyday decision-making
Encourage students to reflect on how greed and choices affect their own lives. Have them share examples or write a brief response for class discussion.
Frequently Asked Questions about Midas and the Golden Touch
Who was King Midas in Greek mythology?
King Midas was a legendary ruler in Greek mythology, famous for his ability to turn everything he touched into gold, known as the Midas touch.
What does 'the Midas touch' mean?
The phrase 'Midas touch' refers to the ability to easily create wealth or success, inspired by the myth where King Midas could turn objects into gold simply by touching them.
How did King Midas get his golden touch?
According to the myth, King Midas was granted the golden touch by the god Dionysus as a reward for his hospitality, but it quickly became a curse when even food and loved ones turned to gold.
What lesson does the story of King Midas teach?
The story of King Midas teaches the importance of moderation and warns that greed for wealth can lead to unintended and harmful consequences.
Are there other myths similar to King Midas?
Yes, many cultures have myths about greed and unintended consequences, such as the tale of Pandora's box or the legend of Tantalus in Greek mythology.
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