Gold mine

Origin of the term

In the beginning, the Pactole was a river, which, according to several Greek legends, carted gold spangles. It was a small affluent of left bank of the Hermos in the kingdom of Lydie, in the middle of her most fertile area, area whose high content in gold is proverbial, but which is very prone to the earth tremors, in current the Turkey. It is only one torrent today.

Caption

The Lydie had as a king celebrates it Crésus. Its power and its richness, considered considerable, came to him from gold bearing sands of the river (and he must be immortalisé in the expression: “rich like Crésus”)

Midas, the king of Phrygie, kingdom of minor Asia enters the Lydie and the Cappadoce. A history tells the adventure arrived at an old drunkard, Silène. This one, according to a procession in the honor of God of the festival and alcohol Dionysos, was lost close to the royal palace. Midas and its guards found it made sleepy and the king offers to him to remain a few days with the palate before returning it in Dionysos. The god rewarded the king by granting a wish to him. Midas required that all that it touches transform into gold (see the legend of Midas). Incompetent to eat and of drinking, it begs the god to take again his present. Dionysos then orders to him to wash the hands in water of the Pactole , whose sand changes into gold. This legend explains the gold bearing character of the Gold mine, to which Phrygie owes a good part of its empire.

Current use of the term

The word gold mine is synonymous today with a large sum of money.

External bonds

Podcast from Radio France: " Life of the mots" by Frédérick Gersal of the 5/23/2006 Bond RSS

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