How were the mercantilists different from kind midas?

Mercantilists believed that a nation's wealth was best served by accumulating precious metals and maintaining a positive balance of trade, emphasizing the role of government in economic regulation. In contrast, King Midas, a character from mythology, was cursed with the ability to turn everything he touched into gold, which ultimately led to his downfall. While mercantilists viewed gold as a means to enhance national power and prosperity, Midas's obsession with gold represented a personal tragedy and the dangers of greed. Thus, mercantilism focused on state power through wealth, while Midas's story illustrates the pitfalls of individual greed.