I-Black Death Yayingekhona Ukuphela Kwezwe
PHAKATHI no-October ngo-1347, imikhumbi yabahwebi eyayisuka eMpumalanga yatheleka ethekwini laseMessina, eSicily. Amadoda agwedlayo ayegula futhi efa. Emizimbeni yawo kwakunamaphuphusi amnyama angangeqanda ayekhala igazi nobomvu. Lamatilosi ayezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu futhi afa ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngemva kokuvela kwalezi zimpawu zokuqala.
Amagundane aphuma egulukudela emikhunjini eyohlangana namanye asendaweni. Lamagundane ayenamazeze ane-bacillus ebabulalayo abantu. Sanda kanjalo lesi sifo esiwumqedazwe esasaziwa ngelenhlupho, i-Black Death, isifo esiwumshayabhuqe esasisibi ukuzedlula zonke emlandweni waseYurophu kuze kube yileso sikhathi.
Lenhlupho yayiyizinhlobo ezimbili. Olokuqala, lwaludluliselwa ngokulunywa izeze elinayo, isabalale emithanjeni yegazi futhi ibangele ukuvuvukala nokophela ngaphakathi. Olwesibili, lwaludluliselwa ngokukhwehlela noma ukuthimula, lwalukhubaza amaphaphu. Ngenxa yokuthi zazisebenza zombili lezi zindlela, lesi sifo sasakazeka ngokushesha nangolaka olwesabekayo. Eminyakeni emithathu nje, sabulala okwesine kwabantu baseYurophu; mhlawumbe kwafa abantu abayizigidi ezingu-25.
Akekho ngaleso sikhathi owayazi ukuthi lesi sifo sasidluliselwa kanjani sisuka komunye umuntu siya komunye. Abanye babekholelwa ukuthi umoya wawunobuthi, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuzamazama ko-mhlaba noma ukungaqondani kahle kwamaplanethi okungavamile. Abanye babecabanga ukuthi abantu babegula ngokumane babuke umuntu ongenwe yilesi sifo. Nakuba imibono yayihlukahluka, kuyacaca ukuthi lesi sifo sasithathelwana kakhulu. Udokotela waseFrance waphawula ukuthi kwakubonakala sengathi umuntu oyedwa ogulayo “wayengathelela umhlaba wonke.”
Akukho muntu owayeyazi indlela yokusivimbela noma yokuselapha. Abaningi bacabangela iziprofetho zeBhayibheli njengaleso esilotshwe kuLuka 21:11, esibikezela ngezifo eziwumshayabhuqe phakathi nesikhathi sokuphela. Nakuba imali yayinikelwa emasontweni, lenhlupho yabhebhetheka. Kwabhala umuntu wase-Italy ngaleso sikhathi: “Izinsimbi zazingasashaywa futhi engekho owayekhala kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ulahlekelwe kangakanani ngoba cishe wonke umuntu wayekulindele ukufa . . . abantu babesho futhi bekholelwa ukuthi, ‘Lokhu ukuphela kwezwe.’”
Nokho, kwakungekhona ukuphela. Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lika-14, lenhlupho yayisidambile. Umhlaba wawulokhu ukhona.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 3]
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