Midas

Everything into Gold

 

Bacchus grants Midas a wish, and he asks that everything he touches turn to gold. It works well at first.

 

Scarcely himself believ'd,

When from a growing ilex down he tore

A sprouting bough, straight gold the bough became:

A stone from earth he lifted, pale the stone

In gold appear'd: he touch'd a turfy clod,

The clod quick harden'd with the potent touch:

He pluck'd the ripen'd hoary ears of wheat,

And golden shone the grain: he from the tree

An apple snatch'd, the fam'd Hesperian fruit

He seem'd to hold: where'er his fingers touch'd

The lofty pillars, all the pillars shone:

Nay, where his hands he in the waters lav'd,

The waters flowing from his hands seem'd such

As Danaë might deceive. Scarce can his breast

His towering projects hold; all fancy'd gold.

Th' attendant slaves before their master, joy'd

At this great fortune, heap'd the table high

With dainties; nor was bread deficient there:

But when his hands the Cerealian boon

Had touch'd, the Cerealian boon grew hard:

And when the dainty food with greedy tooth

He strove to eat, the dainty food grew bright,

In glittering plates, where'er his teeth had touch'd.

He mixt pure water with his patron's wine,

And fluid gold adown his cheeks straight flow'd.

With panic seiz'd, the new-found plague to view,

Rich, yet most wretched; from his wealthy hoard

Fain would he fly; and from his soul detests

What late he anxious pray'd. The plenteous gold

Abates his hunger nought, and parching thirst

Burns in his throat. He well deserves the curse

Caus'd by now-hated gold.

 

The foolish man is forced to beg the god to take back his “gift.”