The Golden Touch 

Midas，son of the Great Goddess of Ida，by a hero whosename is not remembered ，was a pleasureloving King of Macedonian Bromium，where he ruled over the Brigians and planted his famous rose gardens．

One day，the old hero Silenus，Dionysus' former teacher，happened to straggle from the main body of the Dionysian army as it marched out of Thrace into Boeotia，and was found sleeping and drunken in the rose gardens．The gardeners tied him and ledhim before Midas，to whom he told wonderful tales of a big continent lying beyond the Ocean's stream ——altogether separatefrom the united mass of Europe，Asia，or Africa——where gigantic，happy，and longlived people lived in splendid cities，enjoying a wonderful law system．Midas，delighted with Silenus' fictions，entertained him for five days and nights，and then ordered a guide to lead him to Dionysus' headquarters¹．

Dionysus，who had been worrying about Silenus，sent toask how Midas wished to be rewarded．He replied without hesitation：‘Please turn all I touch into gold．' However，not onlystones，flowers，and the furnishings of his house turned to gold but，when he sat down to table，so did the food he ate and the water he drank ．Midas soon begged to be freed from his wish，because he was fast dying² of hunger and thirst．Highlyamused ，Dionysus told him to visit the source of the river Pactolus and there wash himself．He obeyed，and was at oncefreed from the golden touch，but the sands of the river Pactolusare bright with gold to this day．

弥达斯是伊达山大女神和一位姓名不详的英雄的儿子。他是马其顿勃洛弥恩的好寻欢作乐的国王。他统治勃里癸亚人民，种植闻名遐迩的玫瑰花。

一天，狄俄尼索斯酒神和追随者从色雷斯出发去维奥蒂亚。狄俄尼索斯以前的老师森林之神老西勒诺斯不巧跟队伍走散了。他喝得醉醺醺的，躺在弥达斯的花园里酣然大睡。园丁发现了他，把他捆起来领去见弥达斯。他给弥达斯讲述有关大洋河彼岸的、与连成一片的欧罗巴、亚细亚或阿非利加完全脱离的一个大洲的奇妙的故事。大洲上座落着神奇的城市，居住着身材高大、幸福而长寿的人民，拥有值得赞颂的法律制度。西勒诺斯的故事使弥达斯听得欣喜若狂。他盛情款待老山神五天五夜，然后派向导护送他回到狄俄尼索斯的大本营。

狄俄尼索斯一直在为西勒诺斯担心。现在，他派人问弥达斯有什么要求，他应该怎样报答他。弥达斯毫不迟疑地回答说，“请恩准使我摸到的一切都变成金子。”然而，变成金子的不仅仅是石块、花朵和屋内的陈设。他坐下吃饭时，他吃的食物和喝的水也都变成金子。过了不久，弥达斯恳求狄俄尼索斯使他从他那愿望中解脱开来，因为他饥渴交加，快死了。狄俄尼索斯逗弄弥达斯，开心得很。他叫弥达斯前往帕克托罗斯河的源头，在河里洗个澡。弥达斯依法行事，立即解除了点金术，但帕克托罗斯河的沙子至今因含金而闪闪发光。