in fabulous history, a famous king of Phrygia, who having received Bacchus with great magnificence, that god, out of gratitude, offered to grant him whatever he should ask. Midas desired that every thing he touched should be changed into gold. Bacchus consented; and Midas, with extreme pleasure, everywhere found the effects of his touch. But he had soon reason to repent of his folly: for wanting to eat and drink, the aliments no sooner entered his mouth, than they were changed into gold; which obliged him to have recourse to Bacchus again, to beseech him to restore him to his former state; on which the god ordered him to bathe in the river Pactolus, which from thenceforward had golden sands. Some time after, being chosen judge between Pan and Apollo, he gave another instance of his folly and bad taste, in preferring Pan's music to Apollo's; on which the latter being enraged, gave him a pair of asses' ears. See the article APOLLO.

Bar-bell, the smooth ovate-oblong buccinum, with an oblong and very narrow mouth. It consists of six volutions, but the lower one alone makes up almost the whole shell.

MID-HEAVEN, the point of the ecliptic that culminates, or in which it cuts the meridian.