King Midas and the Golden Touch is one of the most famous myths in Western tradition. It details the story of one man's greed and lust for wealth that led to his ultimate downfall. Originally written by Ovid, in his Metamorphoses published in 8 AD, it has been adapted and analyzed even in modern times. Written in dactylic hexameter, as is customary in the great mythological works of the time, the poem was indeed part of a life guide for the ancient Romans. The morals taught by history are still applicable today. As the story is closely linked to the rest of the epic, it is important to evaluate the myth in an educated and modified light. In King Midas and the Golden Touch, Ovid skillfully illustrates the importance of restraint by detailing King Midas' suffering due to his greed. To fully understand the myth, we must explore its context. King Midas and the Golden Touch was written in the 11th book of Metamorphoses. The two previous myths that led to the story were the death of Orpheus and the transformation of the Maenads. Orpheus was a great musician and poet who often performed for the Olympian gods. Towards the end of his life, he refused to recognize all the gods and only played for Apollo. One day he went to the oracle of Bacchus, openly ignored it and paid homage to Apollo. Seeing this, furious Thracian women (Maenads) tore him to pieces for not having honored Bacchus. Enraged by the death of the greatest poet and musician of the time, Lyaeus wanted to teach the Maenads a lesson. He immediately transformed the Maenads into trees at the scene of the murder. Just as Daphne became a laurel tree, so the Maenads became a ring of oaks. Naturally Bacchus was upset by the pu...... middle of paper ......Collection, Univ. from the VirginiaE-Text Center. University of Virginia, nd Web. March 30, 2014. “Midas washes at the source of Pactolus. » Nicolas Poussin: Midas Washing at the Source of Pactole (71.56). Metropolitan Museum of Art, nd Web. March 25, 2014.Naso, Publius O. Ovid: A Transitional Legamus Reader. Trans. Caroline A. Perkins and Denise Davis-Henry. Wauconda, IL: Bolchazy-Carducci, 2007. Print. “Biography of Nicolas Poussin.” Biography of Nicolas Poussin. Nicolaspoussin.org, 2002.Web. March 30, 2014. “Nicolas Poussin”. Nationalgallery.org. The National Gallery, London, nd Web. March 30. 2014. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. “Orpheus (Greek mythology).” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, nd Web. March 30, 2014. Thompson, James. “Nicolas Poussin.” Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, v.50, no. 3(Winter, 1992–93).