When Midas ceased to be king, he went to live in the fields, along with Pan, the deity of the woods. There he lived in pleasant conversations with ...

When Midas ceased to be king, he went to live in the fields, along with Pan, the deity of the woods. There he lived in pleasant conversations with the ugliest and most unpleasant of the deities, who had goat feet and a hairy body, looking like a faun in every way. This god, despite being little favored by beauty, had an undeniable gift for music. Having invented a flute, he spent his days practicing, to such an extent that he had acquired a unique skill with his instrument. Excited about his talent, he decided one day to challenge Apollo himself to a music contest. Midas still tried, cautiously, to dissuade him from the idea: 'I don't know, Pan, but I don't think it's advisable to try to beat Apollo himself. With his lyre, he has no rival.' As the god of the woods did not seem willing to avoid the confrontation, a messenger was sent after Apollo, in charge of bringing the challenge to his knowledge. Apollo agreed to hold the dispute and, arriving at the site of the musical battle, asked, in a mocking tone: 'Who is the daring one who dares to think he is better than me? Is it my son Orpheus, perhaps?' 'No, it's me, Pan, who with my flute will prove to be better than you!' exclaimed the god, confidently. The gods of Olympus all gathered to watch the challenge, which took place in the very woods where Midas and Pan resided. Tmolus himself, the god of the mountain, moved the trees from his ears to listen better to the chords of the two competitors. Sitting on a large rock, Pan took out his flute and began to blow on the lined tubes of his instrument. A melodious and sad sound came from those tiny holes, spreading through the air with such enchantment and sonority that even the birds fell silent to listen. The leaves of the trees poured out the accumulated dew on their leaves with such intensity that it seemed they were crying, moved by the chords of the sad music. The gods listened attentively, pleasantly impressed. Some even thought that Apollo would hardly do better with his lyre. When Pan finished his recital, everyone applauded him enthusiastically.' What is the main topic of the text?


a) The challenge between Pan and Apollo in a music contest.
b) The life of Midas after he ceased to be king.
c) The skills of Pan in playing the flute.