Midas - all that glistens is not gold...

Wikipedia has a helpful summary of the background to "Mrs Midas". Look for the section entitled 'the myth'; remember, Midas, like Herod, was both a real king and a figure from myth/legend. Duffy focuses on the fictional.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midas

Queen Herod weblinks

BBC website about the real King Herod (comparing him to the character he is given in the Bible)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/history/herod.shtml


This page discusses the Massacre of the Innocents, the event for which Herod is notorious. Notice what he did to his own sons and wife:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacre_of_the_Innocents


More detail about the real Herod:
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/e-h/herod.html

Please add your own as a comment if you find anything useful.