IColosseum—Isikhungo “Sokuzijabulisa” SaseRoma Lasendulo
Ngomlobeli wePhaphama! eItaly
“ICOLOSSEUM, esinye sezakhiwo zesikhumbuzo zasendulo ezidume kakhulu zaseRoma; uphawu lwamandla nenkazimulo yayo yakudala, nobufakazi bonya olukhulu olwesabekayo,” kusho uLuca, owayengumholi wohambo lokubona indawo wabangane bakhe uMarco noPaolo.
Mhlawumbe nawe ungathanda ukwazi okwengeziwe ngeColosseum—ukuthi yakhiwa nini nokuthi imiphi imibukwane eyayidlalwa lapho. Ingabe akhona amaKristu okuqala aya lapho? Ingabe afela lapho, edwengulwa izilwane zasendle, njengoba abanye bekholelwa kanjalo? Nokho, lalela lokho uLuca akushoyo kubangane bakhe.
ULuca: “IColosseum ekuqaleni yayibizwa ngokuthi iNkundla Yezemidlalo KaFlavia ngoba yayiwumsebenzi ohlangene wababusi bomkhaya kaFlavia: uVespasian, uTitus, noDomitian. UVespasian waqala ukwakha phakathi nonyaka ka-72 kuya ku-75 C.E., indodana yakhe uTitus yaqhubeka nomsebenzi futhi yavula lesisakhiwo ngo-80 C.E., futhi umfowabo uDomitian wasiqedela kamuva.”
UPaolo: “Kodwa kungani ibizwa ngokuthi iColosseum?”
ULuca: “Umbuzo othakazelisayo lowo, kodwa awunayo impendulo eqondile. Kubonakala sengathi lenkundla yayingabizwa ngokuthi iColosseum kwaze kwaba yikhulu lesishiyagalombili leminyaka C.E. Abanye bacabanga ukuthi leligama livela ebukhulwini bayo obumangalisayo. Abanye bathi kwakungenxa yomfanekiso omkhulu kaNero owawuseduze, isithombe esikhulu kakhulu cishe esiphakeme cishe [ngamamitha angu-35], esasimelela uNero njengonkulunkulu welanga.
“Ukuthi nje yayiyinkundla yezemidlalo enkulu kakhulu kwezaseRoma akusho lutho kangako ngaphandle kwemininingwane ethile. Ngokwesibonelo, yakhiwa iyisimo esiyisiyingi esinjengeqanda, nohlangothi olukhulu [olungamamitha angu-188] noluncane [olungamamitha angu-156]. Inobubanzi [obungamamitha angu-527] futhi iphakeme [ngamamitha angu-57]. Umsebenzi wadinga amashumi ezinkulungwane zamathani etravertine, uhlobo lwetshe lemabula olwalumbiwa edolobheni eliseduze laseTivoli, namathani angu-300 ensimbi ukuze kuhlanganiswe lamatshe ndawonye. Abakhi futhi basebenzisa okuningi kwalokho namuhla esingakubiza ngokuthi izinto zokwakha esezilungisiwe kakade. Amatshe nezinsika zetshe kwakwenziwa kwenye indawo bese kuthwalwa kulethwa endaweni yokwakha. Lokhu kuchaza isivinini iColosseum eyakhiwa ngaso. Ake ucabange nje, iminyaka emihlanu kuya kweyisishiyagalombili yayanele ukuba kwakhiwe lesakhiwo esikhulu.”
UMarco: “Bengicabanga nje, Luca, ukuthi ingabe zingaki izigqila okungenzeka zasebenza kuyiColosseum!”
ULuca: “Kunokwenzeka ukuthi iziboshwa zasempini zasetshenziselwa umsebenzi osindayo, kodwa kugcina lapho. Ijubane umsebenzi wokwakha owafinyelela ngalo ekupheleni nokwehlukahluka kwezinto zokwakha ezasetshenziswa kubonisa ukuthi kwasetshenziswa izisebenzi ezinekhono nochwepheshe.”
UPaolo: “Inezitezi ezingaki iColosseum?”
“ULuca: “Uma ungaphandle ungabona izitezi ezintathu ezinamakhothamo afana ncamashí. Ekuqaleni ikhothamo ngalinye lalihlotshiswe ngomfanekiso oqoshiwe, futhi isitezi ngasinye sasinamakhothamo angu-80. Ngaphezu kwesitezi sesithathu, ungabona esesine esinamafasitela amakhulu angonxande odongeni.”
UMarco: “Yayikwazi ukumumatha izibukeli ezingaki?”
ULuca: “Izincwadi eziningi zibonisa ukuthi cishe ezingu-45 000 ezihlezi nezingu-5 000 ezimile. Eminye imithombo ithi yayingamumatha izibukeli ezingaphezu kuka-70 000. Kunoma yikuphi, yayinomthamo omkhulu kakhulu. Izibukeli zazivikelwe umpheme omkhulu, noma ivelarium, eyayemboze indawo yokuhlala yalenkundla.
“Inkundla yezemidlalo yayakhiwe esisekelweni sikasimende esinohlonze [olungamamitha angu-13], okuye kwanikela ekuqineni kwayo phakathi kwamakhulukhulu eminyaka. Lokho enikubonayo manje kuye kwamelana nemililo enhlobonhlobo nokuzamazama komhlaba phakathi nomlando wayo. Nokho, izitha ezinkulu zeColosseum kwakungabakhi bangeNkathi Yenguquko nabenkathi kaBaroque, ababeyisebenzisa njengomthombo oseduze nongabizi wetravertine netshe lemabula. Ezinye zezakhiwo ezibalulekile eRoma zakhiwa noma zavuselelwa ngezinto zokwakha ezathathwa lapha. Kodwa ake singene ngaphakathi manje.”
UPaolo: “Yeka izincithakalo ezimangalisayo! Ngitshele, Luca, yini eyayilaphaya phansi phakathi nendawo?”
ULuca: “Kwakuyindawo engaphansi yezinto ezazisetshenziswa emibukwaneni. Izinto zasesiteji zazigcinwa lapho, kuhlanganise namakheji ezilwane zasendle, izikhali, nezinto zokukhuphulela izilwane zasendle nezilwi eziqeqeshiwe enkundleni. Iphansi lenkundla, elalemboze indawo engaphansi, lalenziwe ngokhuni. Lokhu kubonisa isizathu sokuba kungabikho ngisho nomkhondo walo osasele. Ingaphandle lenkundla ngokwalo lalizungezwe inetha eliphakeme noma uthango oluvikelayo lwensimbi. Kulelinetha, elalisekelwe ngezingodo, kwakunezinsinjana ezicijile kanye namazinyo endlovu okwakuvikela izilwane zasendle ukuba zingakhweli kulo. Njengendlela yokuvikela eyengeziwe, kubonakala sengathi kwakunabacibi bemicibisholo ababebekwe bazungeza inkundla.”
UPaolo: “Ingabe izibukeli kwakudingeka ukuba zikhokhe ukuze zingene?”
ULuca: “Cha, kwakungenwa mahhala eColosseum. Lokhu kwakuyingxenye yesimiso sababusi, ababenikeza ukuzijabulisa kwamahhala ukuze bagcine abantu belawulekile. Empeleni, lemibukwane yayinjengesidakamizwa esasonakalisa onembeza babantu. Imbongi engumRoma uJuvenal yasebenzisa lamazwi adumile athi ‘panem et circenses,’ ‘isinkwa namasekisi,’ lapho ekhalela ukuziphatha kwabantu baseRoma, ababephilela ikakhulu ukudla nokuzijabulisa.
“Umphakathi waseRoma wawuhlukaniswe ngokwezigaba, njengoba ukuhlukana kwezindawo zokuhlala enkundleni kubonisa. Izihlalo eziphambili zazibekelwe abenezikhundla eziphakeme embusweni. Ngemva kwazo kwakuyizihlalo zabanumzane, futhi ezinye, ngaphezudlwana, kwakungezabesifazane nezigqila.”
UMarco: “Ingabe kulapha lapho izilwi zazilwela khona?”
ULuca: “Yebo. Kwakunezinhlobo ezimbili ngokuyinhloko zemidlalo, imunera, noma impi phakathi kwezilwi ezimbili, kanye nevenationes, ukuzingelwa kwezilwane zasendle. Futhi, izigelekeqe zazibulawelwa lapha, zinikelwa ukuba zibhekane nezilwi zingaziphethe izikhali noma ziphonswe ezilwaneni zasendle. Ukufa kwazo kwakunikeza umbukwane osabisayo ukuze ‘kujabule’ umphakathi.”
UPaolo: “Uma ngikhumbula kahle, izilwi zaziyizigqila, ingabe kunjalo?”
ULuca: “Yebo, izigqila ezikhethwe ikakhulukazi phakathi kweziboshwa zasempini, ezazemukela noma yimuphi umsebenzi ukuze zizisindise. Abanye kwakuyizigelekeqe lezo, ukuze zigweme isigwebo sokufa, ezazifuna ithuba elingcono ekulweni kwezilwi. Abanye babeba izilwi ngokuzithandela. Kwakunezikole ezazibaqeqesha ngaphambi kokuba baqalise umsebenzi wabo. Babevunyelwe ukusebenzisa izinto ezihlukahlukene zokulwa, njengenkemba, noma umkhonto nehawu, noma inetha (nomkhonto onezihloko ezintathu). Ngisho nakuba lezizenzakalo zazibizwa ngokuthi iludi gladiatorii, imidlalo yezilwi, izimpi ezinjalo zaziyimibukwane edabukisayo ngokuvamile eyayiphetha ngokufa komunye wabadlali.”
UMarco: “Eqinisweni, ngikhumbula ukuthi lapho izilwi zingena enkundleni, zazibingelela umbusi ngamazwi athi ‘Ave, Caesar, morituri te salutant,’ okusho ukuthi, ‘Bayede, Kesari, labo asebezofa bayakubingelela.’”
UPaolo: “Kuthiwani ngalokho okuboniswa kumabhayisikobho lapho umbusi ekhipha isandla sakhe nesithupha esibheke phansi ukuze amemezele ukufa kwesilwi esihluliwe—ingabe lokho kwakwenzeka ngempela?”
ULuca: “Yebo, kwakwenzeka. Ezikhathini zakuqala, kwakuwumnqobi owayenquma isiphetho salowo ohluliwe. Kamuva, lelilungelo lanikezwa umbusi ngokwakhe, owayenquma ngemva kokuzwa isinqumo sesixuku. Uma izibukeli zazinomuzwa wokuthi ohluliwe wayelwe ngesibindi, zaziphakamisa izithupha zazo zithi, ‘Mitte!’ (Myekele!), zicela ukuba ukuphila kwakhe kuphephiswe, futhi uma umbusi naye ayebonakalisa isithupha esiphakanyisiwe, ohluliwe wayevunyelwa ukuba aphile. Uma, kunalokho, izibukeli zazicabanga ukuthi ohluliwe wayenze ngendlela yobugwala, zazehlisa izithupha zazo futhi zimemeze zithi, ‘Iugula!’ (Mbulale!) Uma umbusi ayephinda uphawu olufanayo, isigwebo sokufa sesilwi esihluliwe sasisuke sesikhishiwe. Okwase kumelwe akwenze kwakuwukuvezela umnqobi umqala wakhe ukuze amgadlele ukufa. Konke lokhu kwakwenzeka phakathi kokumemeza nokuklabalasa kwesixuku. Khona-ke umnqobi wayenikezwa izipho eziyigugu nezinhlamvu zemali zegolide.”
UMarco: “Yeka umbukwane ononya!”
ULuca: “Oh, yebo! Igazi labantu laligobhoza ngokoqobo, ingasaphathwa eyegazi lezilwane zasendle ezazibulawa. Imibukwane ehilela izilwane zasendle ngokuvamile yayiyimibukiso elula yezilwane zasendle eziqeqeshiwe ezazilalela imiyalo yomqeqeshi wazo, ngokufana ncamashí nalokho esikubona esiyingini sasesekisini yosuku lwanamuhla. Kodwa ngokuvame ngokwengeziwe, izilwane zasendle zazilwa zodwa noma zazixoshwa futhi zibulawe. Kwakuwukucekela phansi kwangempela. Cabanga nje, ngenkathi iColosseum ivulwa, kwabulawa izilwane zasendle ezingu-5 000 ngosukku olulodwa!”
UPaolo: “Ngiyazibuza ukuthi abantu babengazijabulela kanjani izinto ezinjalo.”
ULuca: “Nokho, cabanga ngemidlalo yanamuhla yesibhakela. Izibukeli zimemeza ukuvuma kwazo lapho zibona ohluliwe eshaywe wawela phansi equlekile, ubuso bakhe bugcwele igazi. Noma kuthiwani ngalabo abakhangwa amabhayisikobho azama ukujabulisa umphakathi ngokubonisa igazi, ukufa, nokuchitheka kwegazi yonke indawo? Abantu namhlanje mhlawumbe abanaluzwela ngokufanayo.
“Ngakho-ke lezinkundla zaziyizindawo zobudlova nokonakala. Ngenxa yalesizathu amaKristu okuqala ayeqikelela ukuba angayi kuzo. Eqinisweni, umlobi wekhulu lesithathu leminyaka uTertullian, encwadini yakhe ethi De Spectaculis, uchaza lokho okwakwenzeka ezinkundleni ‘njengodoti’ futhi wagcizelela ekutheni inkundla ‘yayingaziwa ngokuphelele’ kumaKristu.”
UMarco: “Ingabe kunokwenzeka ukuthi amanye amaKristu afa ukufa kokufel’ ukholo eColosseum?”
ULuca: “AmaKristu ngokungangabazeki afa ezinkundleni zamaRoma, edwengulwa izilwane zasendle. Imithombo engokomlando iyakufakazela lokhu. Kungase kube ukuthi kweyoku-1 Korinte 15:32, umphostoli uPawulu uthi wayebhekene nezilwane zasendle ezingozini enkundleni e-Efesu.
“Ngokuqinisekile, endaweni ethile eRoma, amaKristu abhekana nokufa kokufel’ ukholo, kodwa akunakwenzeka ukuthi afela ukholo eColosseum. IEnciclopedia Universale, Umqulu 4, ithi: ‘Akukafakazelwa ngokomlando ukuthi iColosseum yayiyindawo yokubulawa kwamaKristu ngenxa yokholo.’ Nokho, ababhali abaningana bamaKatolika bathi yayiyiyo. Ngokusobala basekela imibono yabo ezinganekwaneni ezavela ngezikhathi ezilandelanayo futhi eziye zamukelwa yisigungu sabefundisi bamaKatolika.
“Nokho, okwakhayo kumaKristu namuhla iphuzu lokuthi abalandeli basendulo bakaKristu babethembekile kwaze kwaba sekufeni ekuzigcineni bengathathi-hlangothi ezweni elinobudlova. Into ebalulekile ayikhona kangako ukwazi ukuthi ukufela kwabo ukholo kwenzeka kuphi kodwa ukwazi ukuthi babugcina ngokugcwele ubuqotho babo.
“Ingabe niye nakujabulela ukuhambela kwenu lesakhiwo esikhulu saseRoma?”
“Ngokuqinisekile,” kuphendula uPaolo noMarco, “futhi siyakubonga ngezincazelo zakho ezinhle.”
Amatshe akhuluma nathi ngomlando angembula izinto eziningi ezithakazelisayo. IColosseum iqokomisa amakhono angaphezu kwavamile amaRoma asendulo emikhakheni yezokwakha ngobuciko nokwakha okuvamile. Ayengabakhi bamabhuloho, imigwaqo, imisele yamanzi, izinkundla zemidlalo yaseshashalazini, izinkundla ezivulekile, amathempeli, nezigodlo. Nokho, iColosseum yayiyindawo yemibukwane ethusayo lapho amaKristu esikhathini esidlule, kuhlanganise nanamuhla, enqaba ukuhlanganyela kokubili njengezibukeli noma njengabahlanganyeli abazithandelayo.
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
Ngaphakathi kwe“Colosseum” namuhla
[Isithombe ekhasini 26]
I“Colosseum” enkazimulweni yayo esifiphele