Literal Translation
To touch the Pactolus
Actual Meaning
To suddenly earn a big sum of money, win in a big way
Etymology
In Greek mythology, the Pactolus was a river where many gold flakes could be found. Dionysus promised King Midas that he would grant him any wish he desired. The king asked for the power to turn everything he touched into gold. But this quickly led to his downfall, as he could no longer eat or drink because everything he touched turned into precious metal. He then asked Dionysus to cancel this wish. To do so, he had to wash his hands in the Pactolus, which is how the river came to contain so many gold nuggets. It is in reference to this episode in mythology that we use the term ‘pactole’ to refer to great wealth.