Getting a glimpse into the past is always fascinating. But what’s even more fascinating is finding out just how similar we still are as human beings, even when thousands of years separate us (case in point: this hilarious ancient complaint from a teenager who wanted new clothes). And when it comes to a trait that’s endured throughout history, nothing has lasted longer than the way moms love their kids — a fact that’s being heart-wrenchingly highlighted in a viral video from Britain’s Bodleian Library.
Written in Greek on an age-worn scrap of papyrus, it’s a letter from a woman named Sarapias to her son-in-law, Erminos. Her daughter is pregnant, and she’s (rightfully) concerned; in the letter, she begs her son-in-law to bring her daughter home so she can give birth with her mom by her side.
In a time without modern medicine, anesthesia, or sterile hospitals, childbirth was risky, to say the least — so it’s no wonder Sarapias was worried about her daughter. To convince her son-in-law to make the journey, Sarapias even went so far as to sweeten the pot with an offer. In a postscript, she says, “Please don’t worry about the cost of the trip. I will pay a donkey for you.” It’s the ancient equivalent of “I’ll buy your plane tickets” or “I’ll pay for the Uber.”
This fragile little piece of papyrus has endured changing empires, shifting languages, and the erosion of time just so that we, today, could witness the unchanging tenderness of a mother’s heart. Why has this letter existed, carefully preserved, for nearly 2,000 years? I’d like to think that Sarapias’s daughter tucked it away, cherishing its sentimental value — the proof of her mother’s love and concern. That would mean she had survived the childbirth, hopefully with her mom by her side.
It’s amazing to think that we’re able to read this, separated by oceans and centuries and cultures, and still recognize in the letter’s pleas the deep love we all feel for our kids (and the desperation to be by their side through trying times). It’s proof that the strength of a mother’s love transcends time itself.
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