「你幹麼不回我？」── 一位希臘媽媽的抱怨

「你幹麼不回我？」這句話並不是現代媽媽的專利，早在羅馬統治時期的希臘，就有一位媽媽曾經如此寫信抱怨孩子，雖然信件的內容並不完整，但是根據翻譯多少可以看出媽媽在抱怨兒子遠洋後無音訊一事。

           (Recto) [Hikane] to Isidoros [her son, greetings. First of all] I thought it necessary, since the packet boat was putting out to sea, to write . . . me. I am in Berenike. I wrote you a letter [?but did not receive a] letter. Was it for this that I carried you for ten months and nursed you for three years, so that you would be incapable of remembering me by letter? And similarly you dimissed me though the Oasites . . . not I you. But I left your brothers in Arabia . . . so that . . Egypt I might see your face and . . . breath. I only ask and beg and adjure you by the one whom you . . . and by the memory of the one who begot you, to sail away if you are well. I . . . Amarantos. But . . . Arabia, sister has departed and the little one is present . . . I ask and beg you . . . Save your brother. For I have no one . . . your bother . . . with the first winds, but he found some . . . and came to me in Berenike. Epaphras greets you warmly . . . and those who love us. [Year . ., month] 24. (Verso) Deliver. Hikane to Isidoros her son, harborman.

親愛的Isidoros，我覺得你離開Berenike之後你應該要寫信給我，雖然我有寫信給你，但是你都沒有回我！我懷了你十個月而且養了你三年，難道這一切無法讓你記得我？同樣地你在Oasites時也沒有和我聯絡。我將你的兄弟們留在阿拉伯……以致於….埃及，我可能會看到你的臉……呼吸。如果你過得很好，我只以那一個…..人要求、乞求並且命令你……並以生下你的人的記憶去航行。我……風滾草。但是……阿拉伯，姊妹們都分開了而且最小的現在……我要求並乞求你…..救救你的兄弟。看在我沒有人的份上……你的兄弟……帶著第一陣風，但是他找到了一些……並且回來過Berenike來看我。溫暖地送上我的問候……和那些愛我們的人。Hikane寫給她的碼頭工人兒子Isidoros。

o.berenike.2.129

材質：紙莎草

語言：希臘文

年份：公元50-75年間

尺寸：29.0 x 28.5 cm

出土年份：

資料來源：

1.papyri.info http://www.papyri.info/hgv/89155

2.Brice C. Jones. http://www.bricecjones.com/blog/dont-forgot-your-mom-a-lesson-from-the-first-century