23.06.2023
5 Dakika
The Phrygians, a people who lived in central Anatolia in ancient times, have a king who is famous for the legends that are told about him. King Midas, whose name is mentioned as Mita of Muşki in the inscriptions of the Assyrian king Sargon II, who lived in the same period as he, is said to have led Phrygia to its golden age. King Midas is a figure whose death is as legendary as the stories about his birth and life. It is said that the king, who managed to escape from the attack of the Cimmerians that destroyed Gordion, could not bear the burden of defeat and ended his life by drinking "bull's blood". Today, the body of King Midas has been reconstructed on the basis of a skeleton found at the Gordion Museum and Gordion Archaeological Site near Ankara and is on display at the Anatolian Civilizations Museum in Ankara.
We know that the legendary stories about King Midas are very popular because he was a historically important figure. But we thought it would be good to retell these interesting stories for those who have never heard of him.
The first narrative about Midas is based on a rivalry between the gods, common in mythology.
There is a musical contest between Apollo, the oracle god of music and the arts, and Pan, the musician god of the land, satyrs and shepherds. And King Midas is chosen as one of the judges of the contest. Apollo plays his silver lyre, which captivates even the Muses, the nine sisters, while Pan plays impressive melodies on his flute. At the end of the contest, one of the judges, the mountain god Tmolos, wanted to declare Apollo the winner, but Midas' vote in favor of Pan changed the result. Of course, the god Apollo got angry at this and said, "These ears that cannot understand the beauty of music can only be donkey ears," and turned Midas' ears into donkey ears.
Ashamed of the condition of his ears, Midas never took off the cap on his head to hide them. But Midas had to reveal this secret to the barber who cut his hair. The barber hid this secret for a long time, but finally he could not take it anymore and shouted into a well, "Midas' ears are donkey ears!" Even if it is shouted into a well, this secret naturally spreads. From that moment on, all the people made fun of King Midas' donkey ears. Midas could not stand it anymore and cut off his ears. But this only made the donkey ears grow back like ivy leaves. Midas asks the angry Apollo to give him back his ears. He should give him back his ears and take all his wealth... The god forgives Midas, gives him back his ears, and then takes his life.
The second of the legends about King Midas is again characterized by the touch of the gods. But this time it also contains important messages about what real wealth and greed are.
One day, King Midas sees one of the satyrs, a companion of the god Dionysus, sleeping in the rose garden. And he takes this spirit of nature, who is a goat from the waist down and has the form of a man from above, into his palace for ten days and ten nights. Dionysus wants to do a favor to Midas, who treats his comrade so hospitably, and tells the king that he will grant him a wish. Thereupon Midas asks the god to turn everything he touches into gold. When his wish comes true, the king is very frustrated.
The food he picks up to eat, the goblets he holds to taste the nectar, and even the roses in his garden that he touches lightly to breathe in their fragrance all turn to gold. Midas asks the god to lift this curse, which he initially thought was a gift. Dionysus orders the king to bathe in the river Pactalus, now known as the Sart Stream, which flows through Sardes, the capital of the Lydian kingdom. When the king bathes in the river, he is actually freed from the ominous power. For centuries, people have attributed the gold pieces found in the river to this story.
Türkiye has many historical sites with legendary tales like that of King Midas. If you want to know what it is like to experience these thresholds where mythology and reality open up to each other, stay tuned to the Turkish Museums Blogs and YouTube channel.
