Isifundo Somlando WaseRoma

“UMA, njengabantu, ngiye ngalwa nezilo zasendle e-Efesu.” Abanye bacabanga ukuthi lawo mazwi, akweyoku-1 Korinte 15:32, asho ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu wagwetshelwa ukuba alwe enkundleni yaseRoma. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwaba njalo noma cha, kwakuvamile ngaleso sikhathi ukuba abantu balwe baze bafe ezinkundleni. Umlando usitshelani ngezinkundla zokulwa nokwakwenzeka kuzo?

NjengamaKristu, sifisa ukulolonga onembeza bethu bavumelane nokucabanga kukaJehova, okungasisiza senze izinqumo eziphathelene nokuzijabulisa kwesimanje. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngendlela uNkulunkulu abubheka ngayo ubudlova, njengoba kubonakala kula mazwi: “Ungabi namhawu ngomuntu oyisidlwangudlwangu, ungakhethi neyodwa yezindlela zakhe.” (IzAga 3:31) AmaKristu okuqala ayenaleso seluleko ukuze siwaqondise lapho abantu abaningi ababewazungezile bejatshuliswa imincintiswano  yezilwi yaseRoma. Njengoba sihlola okwakwenzeka kulezo zenzakalo, ake sibone ukuthi isiphi isifundo esicacile esitholwa amaKristu namuhla.

Izilwi ezimbili ezihlomile zibhekene ngeziqu zamehlo enkundleni yaseRoma. Lapho izinkemba zazo ziqala ukushaya izihlangu, isixuku esinequngo siyamemeza sikhuthaza isilomo saso. Yimpi enzima lena. Kungakabiphi, omunye oselimele futhi ongasakwazi ukuqhubeka elwa ulahla phansi izikhali zakhe aguqe, kanjalo ecela umaluju. Umsindo usho phezulu, kuchwaze. Abanye esixukwini bamemeza bathi akaxolelwe, abanye bathi akabulawe. Wonke amehlo asethe njó kumbusi. Yena njengoba elalela izifiso zezihlwele, angamkhulula onqotshiwe noma athi akabulawe ngokumane agingqe isithupha.

AmaRoma ayenosinga lwemibukiso yezilwi. Kungase kukumangaze ukwazi ukuthi lokhu kulwa kwaqale kwenziwa emingcwabeni yezikhulu. Kucatshangwa ukuthi le mincintiswano yaqala emihlatshelweni yabantu yezizwe zama-Oscan noma zamaSamnite zasendaweni manje eyinkaba ye-Italy. Le mihlatshelo yayenzelwa ukushweleza kwabangasekho. Lokho kulwa kwakubizwa ngokuthi i-munus, noma “isipho” (ebuningini, munera). Imidlalo yokuqala esezincwadini zomlando eyayiseRoma yaba ngo-264 B.C.E. lapho amabhangqa amathathu ezilwi elwela emakethe yezinkomo. Emngcwabeni kaMurcus Aemilius Lepidus, kwalwa amabhangqa ezilwi angu-22. Emngcwabeni kaPublius Licinius, kwabambana ngezihluthu amabhangqa angu-60. Ngo-65 B.C.E., uJulius Caesar wafaka amabhangqa angu-320 enkundleni.

Isazi-mlando uKeith Hopkins sithi: “Imingcwabo yezinjinga yayingamathuba ezombusazwe futhi imidlalo yasemingcwabeni yayikekelela kwezombusazwe . . . ngenxa yokuthandwa kwayo abaqoki bezakhamuzi. Empeleni, ukwanda kwemicikilisho yemibukiso yezilwi kwabangelwa ikakhulu ukuncintisana kwezombusazwe kwezinjinga ezifuna udumo.” Ngesikhathi sokubusa kuka-Augustus (ngo-27 B.C.E. kuya ku-14 C.E.), ama-munus ayeseyizipho ezeqisayo—zokujabulisa izihlwele—izipho ezazivela ezikhulwini ezicebile zikahulumeni ukuze zizenze zivelele kakhudlwana kwezombusazwe.

Izilwi Nokuqeqeshwa Kwazo

Ungase ubuze, ‘Obani ababeba yizilwi?’ Kwakungaba izigqila, izigelekeqe ezigwetshelwe ukufa, iziboshwa zempi, noma abantu abavamile abahehwa isasasa noma ithemba lodumo nengcebo. Bonke babeqeqeshwa ezikoleni ezisamajele. Incwadi ethi Giochi e spettacoli (Imidlalo Nemibukiso) ibika ukuthi izilwi eziqeqeshwayo “zazihlale ziqashwe onogada futhi ziphathwa ngesandla esiqinile, zinikwa imithetho eqine kakhulu nezijeziso ezinzima ngokweqile . . . Le mpatho yayivame ukuzenza zizibulale, zidale isiphithiphithi futhi zivukele.” Isikole esikhulu kunazo zonke sezilwi eRoma sasinezitokisi zeziboshwa okungenani eziyinkulungwane. Umuntu ngamunye wayenekhono elithile. Abanye babelwa begqoke izingubo zokuzivikela, benesihlangu nenkemba, kanti abanye babelwa ngenetha nomkhonto onezihloko ezintathu. Abanye futhi babeqeqeshelwa ukulwa nezilwane zasendle komunye umbukiso owawuthandwa, “ukuzingela.” Kungenzeka yini ukuthi uPawulu wayekhuluma ngesenzakalo esinjalo?

Abagqugquzeli bemibukiso babeya kubathengisi ababebutha baqeqeshe abantu abaneminyaka engu-17 noma engu-18 ukuba babe izilwi. Ukuhweba ngabantu kwakuyibhizinisi elichumayo. Komunye umbukiso ovelele uTrajan awenzela ukuhalalisela ukunqoba empini  kwakunezilwi ezingu-10 000 nezilwane ezingu-11 000.

Okwakwenzeka Enkundleni

Ekuseni inkundla yayisetshenziselwa “ukuzingela.” Izilwane zasendle ezihlukahlukene zazifakwa ngempoqo enkundleni. Izibukeli zazikujabulela kakhulu ukuqhathwa kwenkunzi nebhere. Ngokuvamile lezi zilwane zaziboshelwa ndawonye ukuze zilwe kuze kufe esinye sazo, bese esisindile siqedelwa ngumzingeli. Eminye imibukiso eyayithandwa kwakungeyamabhubesi alwa namahlosi, noma izindlovu ezilwa namabhere. Abazingeli babebukisa ngamakhono abo bebulala izilwane zakwamanye amazwe ezazivela kuzo zonke izingxenye zombuso, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kubiza kangakanani—izingwe, obhejane, izimvubu, izindlulamithi, izimpisi, amakamela, amankentshane, izingulube zasendle nezinyamazane.

Imihlobiso yasenkundleni yayenza “ukuzingela” kungalibaleki. Kwakusetshenziswa amadwala, amachibi nezihlahla ukuze kube sengathi kusehlathini. Kwezinye izinkundla, izilwane kwakuba sengathi zivela ngomlingo, zilethwa ngamakheshi nangezivalo ezingaphansi komhlaba. Ukungazi ukuthi isilwane sizokwenzenjani kwakwenezela esasaseni, kodwa kubonakala sengathi okwakwenza “ukuzingela” kujabulise kakhulu isihluku.

Kwakube sekubulawa abantu. Kwakuzanywa ukuba babulawe ngendlela engavamile. Kwakudlalwa amadrama aphathelene nezinganekwane, abadlali bafe ngempela.

Ntambama kwakulwa izilwi zezigaba ezihlukahlukene zihlomé izikhali ezihlukile futhi ziqeqeshwé ngezindlela ezingafani. Abanye balabo ababesusa izidumbu babegqoka njengonkulunkulu wezwe lemimoya.

Imiphumela Ezibukelini

Iqungo lezihlwele lalinganeliseki, ngakho izilwi ezingafuni ukulwa zazishaywa ngeziswebhu zishiswe nangezinsimbi. Izihlwele zazimemeza zithi: “Kungani ebhekana nenkemba ngobugwala kanjena? Kungani egwaza njengenina kanjena? Kungani engazifeli nje [ngokuzithandela]? Mshaye ukuze alwe! Mabagwazane beqimbile bezwe kahle!” Isikhulu sikahulumeni saseRoma uSeneca sithi phakathi nekhefu kwakwenziwa isimemezelo kuthiwe: “Ake sithi ukunqamula oqhoqhoqho, ukuze kungasali sekuthuleka nje!”

Akumangalisi ukuthi uSeneca uyavuma ukuthi wayegoduka “esenesihluku nokhahlo kakhudlwana.” Lokhu okuvunywa yilesi sibukeli kufanele sikucabangisise. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi kwenzeka okufanayo ezibukelini kweminye yemidlalo yanamuhla, zibe “nesihluku nokhahlo kakhudlwana”?

Kungenzeka ukuthi abanye babezibheka njengabanenhlanhla ngokuthi bakwazi ngisho nokugoduka. Lapho esinye isibukeli senza ihlaya  ngoDomitian, lowo mbusi wathi masihudulwe siphonswe ezinjeni. Ukusweleka kwezigelekeqe zokubulawa kwenza uCaligula wakhipha umyalo wokuba kubanjwe ingxenye ethile yesixuku iphonswe ezilwaneni. Futhi kwathi lapho imishini yasesiteji ingasebenzi ngendlela ethandwa nguye, uClaudius wathi omakhenikha baleyo mishini mabalwe enkundleni.

Usinga lwezibukeli lwaludala izinhlekelele nezibhelu. Enyakatho yeRoma kwawa inkundla, futhi ngokwemibiko ethile kwafa izinkulungwane. Embukisweni owawusePompeii ngo-59 C.E. kwaba nezibhelu. UTacitus ubika ukuthi ukubambana ngezihluthu kwezixuku zendawo nezasedolobhaneni elibuqamama kwaqala ngokwethukana, kwase kujikijelwana ngamatshe, kwagcina sekuliwa ngezinkemba. Abaningana baginindeka noma balimala, abanye bafa.

Isifundo Esicacile

Umbukiso wamuva (i-Sangue e arena, “Igazi Nesihlabathi”) eColosseum eRome waveza izinto zanamuhla ezifuze ama-munus. Wabonisa imibukiso emifushane ye-video yabantu abalwa nezinkunzi, abashayi sibhakela abakhokhelwayo, ukushayisana okunyantisayo kwezimoto nezithuthuthu zomjaho, ukulwa kwabasubathi okunobudlwangudlwangu emidlalweni nokulwa kwezibukeli okunobudlova. Lo mbukiso waphetha ngokuveza iColosseum. Ucabanga ukuthi izivakashi kwakufanele ziphethe ngokuthini? Zingaki ezaziyosifunda isifundo?

Ukuqhatha izinja, amaqhude, nokulwa nezinkunzi yimidlalo enobudlova evamile emazweni athile namuhla. Emijahweni yezimoto kubekwa ukuphila kwabantu engozini ukuze kujatshuliswe izixuku. Cabanga nangemibukiso yethelevishini yansuku zonke. Kwelinye izwe lasentshonalanga ukucwaninga kwabonisa ukuthi ingane ebukela i-TV ingabe seyibone ukubulawa kwabantu abangu-10 000 nezenzo ezingu-100 000 zobudlova lapho ihlanganisa iminyaka eyishumi ubudala.

Umlobi wekhulu lesithathu uTertullian wathi, izinjabulo zasemibukisweni “azihambisani nenkolo yeqiniso nokumlalela ngempela uNkulunkulu weqiniso.” Wayebheka labo abaya kuyo njengabanesandla kulokho kubulala. Kuthiwani namuhla? Umuntu angase azibuze, ‘Ingabe iyangijabulisa imibukiso yokuchitheka kwegazi, yokubulala noma yobudlova kuyithelevishini noma kuyi-Internet?’ Kuhle ukukhumbula ukuthi iHubo 11:5 lithi: “UJehova uyamhlola olungileyo; kepha omubi nothanda ubudlwangudlwangu umphefumulo wakhe uyamzonda.”

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 28]

Ukulwa Ukuze “Kushwelezwe Kwabafileyo”

Ekhuluma ngomsuka wezimpi zezilwi zaseshashalazini, umlobi wekhulu lesithathu uTertullian uthi: “Abantu bakudala babecabanga ukuthi benzela abafileyo inkonzo ngalo mbukiso, ngemva kokuwunonga ngokufaka isihluku esithe ukuphucuzeka. Kusukela kudala, emingcwabeni babenza imihlatshelo ngeziboshwa noma izigqila ezintekenteke ababezithengile, benenkolelo yokuthi imiphefumulo yabafileyo ithethwa ngegazi lomuntu. Kamuva kwabonakala kukuhle ukuba bakwenze kujabulise ukuze bafihle ukungabi kwabo nanhlonipho. Ngakho ngemva kokuba abantu abatholakele sebeqeqeshelwe ukusebenzisa izikhali ezazitholakala ngaleso sikhathi nangendlela engcono kakhulu—beqeqeshelwa ukubulawa!—babebulawa ngosuku olumisiwe lomngcwabo emathuneni. Ngakho ukubulala kwakubaduduza lapho kufiwe. Aqala kanjalo ama-munus. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi indlela yabo yokuhlela nokwenza izinto yathuthuka yaze yaba sezingeni eliphakeme njengesihluku sabo; ngoba injabulo yeholide yayintula uma kungabanga nezilwane ezinesihluku ezidwengula abantu. Okwakunikelwa ukuze kushwelezwe kwabafileyo kwakubhekwa njengenkonzo yomngcwabo.”

[Isithombe ekhasini 27]

Isigqoko sokuzivikela sezilwi nesivikelo sombala sasendulo

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AmaKristu asendulo ayekubheka njengokungamukeleki ukuzijabulisa ngobudlova. Ingabe nawe ukubheka kanjalo?

[Imithombo]

Boxing: Dave Kingdon/Index Stock Photography; car crash: AP Photo/Martin Seppala

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 26]

Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona/Bridgeman Art Library