A certain Valerius and a certain Athanasius lived during the 5th century AD in Egypt. 1500 years ago, the certain Valerius wrote a letter to Athanasius in Ancient Greek.
The letter contained insults and threats of lashing and burning.
A fragment of the letter, written on a Papyrus was translated by scientists.
“You trickster, you traitor, you son of a bitch …’ Valerius writes to Athanasius.
However, the reason why Valerius was fuming so much remains unknown as the rest of the papyrus is missing.
An x-rated papyrus? 'Valerius to Athanasius: You trickster, you traitor, you son of a bitch …'
This 1500-year old letter comes from Oxyrhynchus (Papyrus 2105). The rest is missing so we don't know why Valerius was fuming so much.https://t.co/UcbWx5kQyS pic.twitter.com/p7kysve1eZ— Medieval Manuscripts (@BLMedieval) August 14, 2018
And then again….
Well, if you knew Thanos then you'd understand. https://t.co/fPy4PI1FtU
— Teacher Dude (@teacherdude) August 14, 2018
Only a 70-215mm fragment of the papyrus has been saved and has been displayed in British Library in the British Museum.
- Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum in the Years 1916-1920 (London: British Museum 1933), p. 373.
via digitized manuscripts, @BLManuscripts
*Thanos is a nickname for Athanasios in Modern Greek.
