Ukufa OkuMnyama Kwakungathethi Isiphelo Sehlabathi
EBUDENI bukaOktobha 1347, iinqanawa zabarhwebi ezisuka eMpuma zagaleleka kwizibuko laseMessina, eSicily. Oomatiloshe bazo babenezifo yaye begulel’ ukufa. Imizimba yabo yayizaliswe ziingqalutye ezimnyama zamaqhakuva ezazibhiqiza igazi nobovu. Aba matiloshe babenkqenkqethwa ziintlungu ezingathethekiyo ibe bafa kwisithuba seentsuku ezithile emva kokubonakala kweempawu zokuqala zesi sigulo.
Iimpuku ezisuka kwezi nqanawa zaphinziza zaya kudibana neempuku zalapho. Ezi mpuku zazineentakumba ezinentsholongwane ebabulalayo abantu. Sasasazeka ngolo hlobo isifo esingubhubhani ekuthiwa sisibetho, uKufa okuMnyama, eyona ndyikitya yokufa yakha yabonwa kwimbali yaseYurophu ukuza kuthi ga ngelo xesha.
Esi sibetho sasingena ngeendlela ezimbini. Eyokuqala, sasingena ngokulunywa yintakumba esithweleyo, size sisasazeke egazini sibangela iingqalutye zamaqhakuva nokophela ngaphakathi. Eyesibini, sasidluliselwa kwabanye ngokukhohlela okanye ngokuthimla, sisonakalisa imiphunga. Ekubeni ezi ndlela zimbini zazizizinto ezikhoyo, esi sifo sasasazeka ngokukhawuleza saza saba yingozi kakhulu. Kwiminyaka nje emithathu, sanqunqel’ egoqweni umntu omnye kwabane kubemi baseYurophu; ekusenokwenzeka ukuba sabulala abantu abazizigidi ezingama-25.
Ngelo xesha kwakungekho namnye umntu onofifi ngendlela esi sifo esidluliselwa ngayo ebantwini. Abanye babevakalelwa kukuba umoya wawunetyhefu, mhlawumbi ngenxa yenyikima okanye utshintsho olungaqhelekanga lwezijikelezi-langa. Abanye babecinga ukuba umntu uguliswa nje kukujonga umntu onesi sifo. Nangona abantu babeneembono ezininzi, ngokucacileyo esi sifo sasinwenwa okomlilo wedobo. Omnye ugqirha ongumFrentshi wathi kwakubonakala ngathi umntu omnye ogulayo “wayenokwasulela ihlabathi lonke.”
Abantu babengazi nowathwethwa ngendlela yokuzikhusela neyokunyanga esi sifo. Abanye babecinga ngeziprofeto zeBhayibhile ezinjengeso sibhalwe kuLuka 21:11 esaxela kwangaphambili ngeendyikitya zokufa ebudeni bexesha lokuphela. Nangona abantu babenikela ngemali ezicaweni, esi sibetho sathabath’ unyawo. Omnye umntu waseItali wabhala wathi ngelo xesha: “Kwakungasakhali zintsimbi zecawa, ibe kwakungasekho mntu ulilayo xa elahlekelwe ngothile kuba phantse wonke umntu wayekulindele ukufa . . . abantu babesitsho beqinisekile ukuba, ‘Esi sisiphelo sehlabathi.’”
Noko ke, eso yayingesosiphelo sehlabathi. Ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane ye-14, eso sibetho sathi nqumama. Ihlabathi lahlabela mgama.
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 3]
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