Midas monologue (Act 4) — Proserpine and Midas

I see again the trees and smell the flowers With colours lovelier than the rainbow’s self; I see the gifts of rich-haired Ceres piled And eat. (_holding up the grapes_) This is not yellow, dirty gold, But blooms with precious tints, purple and green. I hate this palace and its golden floor, Its cornices and rafters all of gold:— I’ll build a little bower of freshest green, Canopied o’er with leaves & floored with moss:— I’ll dress in skins;—I’ll drink from wooden cups And eat on wooden platters—sleep on flock; None but poor men shall dare attend on me. All that is gold I’ll banish from my court, Gilding shall be high treason to my state, The very name of gold shall be crime capital[.]