Midas was a fabled king of Phrygia and famous for his extraordinary wealth. Due to a favour he once did to Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, Dionysus promised the king to make any wish of his come true. Greedily, Midas asked from the god to make everything he 'd touch turn into gold.

In the beginning, Midas seemed to be overwhelmed with joy, but soon he realized he had made a dreadful mistake, since his touch was cursed to transform even his food and drink into gold.

Horrified, the king turned to the Dionysus in order to cancel his wish and Dionysus told him to go and wash away his golden touch. So king Midas went to clean himself in the river Pactolus, transferring this way his power to the river. Since then, it is said that the river bristles with nuggets of gold.