Ikusasa Lenkolo Uma Kubhekwa Isikhathi Sayo Esidlule

Ingxenye 5—c. 1000-31 B.C.E.—Onkulunkulu Bamanga Abangalufanele Udumo

“Zonke Izinkolo Zadabuka EAsia.”—Isaga sesiJapane

AMAJAPANE aqinisile. Izimpande zenkolo uma zilandelelwa zifika eAsia. Ngokuqonde ngisho nangaphezulu, izimfundiso eziyisisekelo zenkolo nemikhuba okutholakala ezinkolweni zezwe kwavela eBabiloni lasendulo, elaliseAsia.

Ekuqinisekiseni lokhu, incwadi iThe Religion of Babylonia and Assyria ithi: “IGibithe, iPheresiya, neGrisi kwathola amathonya enkolo yaseBabiloni . . . Ingxubevange enamandla yezici zobuJuda kokubili ezinganekwaneni zamaGreki zokuqala nasemikhubeni yamaGreki manje seyamukelwa ngokuvame kakhulu izazi kangangokuba akusadingeki ukuba zisho okunye okwengeziwe. Lezizici zobuJuda ngokwezinga elikhulu ngokuqondile ezaseBabiloni.”

Izici zaseBabiloni zezinganekwane zamaGreki zangena kalula enkolweni yamaGreki yokuqala, leyo, ngokweThe Encyclopedia of Religion, ‘eyayingenayo incwadi engcwele lapho iqiniso lalibhalwa futhi ligcinwe khona . . . Kwakwanele ngomuntu owenza imikhuba enemicikilisho ukuba akholelwe uhide lwezindaba ayezifunde esemncane. Ngayinye yalezindaba yayibhalwe ngezindlela eziningi, ivumela ukuba ihunyushwe ngezindlela ezihlukene.’

Izindaba ezifana nalezo kwakuyilezo ezazilandiswa kuyi-Iliad neOdyssey kaHomer, imbongi eyaziwayo engumGreki ngokunokwenzeka yekhulu lesishiyagalombili noma lesishiyagalolunye leminyaka B.C.E. Izincwadi zakhe, eziqokomisa ubuhlobo phakathi konkulunkulu bezinganekwane zaseMount Olympus nabantu, kuhlanganise nabantu ababefana nonkulunkulu abaphakathi nendawo ababehlonishwa njengamaqhawe, zaba umthombo inkolo yamaGreki eyayisuselwa kuwo. Yingakho nje, kuchaza umbhali uG. S. Kirk, “inganekwane nenkolo kufana.”

Inkolo yamaGreki yasuselwa futhi nakweminye imithombo. IThe New Encyclopœdia Britannica ibonisa ukuthi “iGrisi, eyayithanda izinkolo eziyimfihlakalo ngentshiseko ekhethekile, yathatha [eGibithe] imikhuba enemicikilisho kaOsiris, Isis, noHorus.” Kusukela lapho “yasakazwa kuwo wonke uMbuso waseRoma.” Kwenzeka kanjani lokhu?

Izinganekwane ZaseGrisi Zithumba IRoma

Okhokho bakuqala bamaRoma babenenkolo elula eyayithi onkulunkulu babeyimimoya engebona abantu ehlala ezintweni ezibonakalayo zazo zonke izinhlobo. Kwakuyinkolo yenkolelo-ze eyayiqaphela amashwa nezici zemilingo zezitshalo nezilwane. Yayinemikhosi yaminyaka yonke, njengeSaturnalia ngoDecember, okwakuthi ngalesosikhathi abantu baphane izipho. Incwadi i-Imperial Rome iyichaza ‘njengenkolo yemikhuba enemicikilisho, eyayingenakho ukugcizelela okukhulu kokungokomoya. Umuntu waseRoma wayenza isivumelwano nonkulunkulu bakhe—sokuthi uzongenzela okuthile nami ngizokwenzela okuthile—futhi inkolo yakhe ngokwezinga elikhulu yayiwukugcinwa ngokucophelela kwalesosivumelwano.’ Lokhu kwenza inkolo yangaba nazo izinto ezingokomoya, ibangela abantu baseRoma ukuba bafune ukudla okungokomoya kwenye indawo.

Kamuva amaEtruscan afika nemicimbi engokwenkolo enemicikilisho eminingi, kanye nokusetshenziswa kwamathempeli, nemifanekiso ebunjiwe.a Yona lencwadi ithi amaEtruscan yiwona futhi “enza ukuba iRoma ibe nokuhlangana kwayo kokuqala ngqá okubalulekile nonkulunkulu kanye nonkulunkulukazi bamaGreki, abaningi babo amaRoma kamuva abathatha njengoba benjalo.” Ngokushesha kwakungashiwo ukuthi “inkolo eRoma yaba ngezinhlobo eziningi futhi yaba namagama amaningi: abantu ngabanye amaRoma ayehlangana nabo ngokubanqoba noma ngezohwebo kubonakala sengathi babenezela enanini lonkulunkulu ababeqashelwa ngamaRoma.”

Abefundisi bokuqala bamaRoma kwakungalindelekile ukuba bahole ngokomoya nangokuziphatha. Kwakwanele, kusho i-Imperial Rome, ngabo ukuba bazi ‘izindlela ezifanele zokukhuluma nonkulunkulu, izinto ezizilwayo ezihlobene nokukhulekelwa kwakhe, nemicikilisho eyinkimbinkimbi yokukhulekela.’ Ngokungafani nabantu abavamile, ababaziwa njengabantukazana nabangafaneleki ukuba sezikhundleni eziphezulu, abefundisi ababehola babekwazi ukuba sezikhundleni eziphezulu zezombangazwe nezenhlalo.

Ngaleyondlela, cishe eminyakeni eyinkulungwane, kusukela esikhathini sikaHomer kuqhubeke, izinganekwane zamaGreki zazizithonya ngokunamandla izinkolo kokubili zamaGreki nezamaRoma kangangokuthi iThe New Encyclopœdia Britannica ithi: “Ukubaluleka kwezinganekwane zamaGreki emlandweni wokuhlakanipha, ikhono, nemizwelo yomuntu waseNtshonalanga akunakuthiwa kuye kwagcizelelwa ngokweqile.” Okungenani ekhuluma ngenkolo, uHorace, imbongi engumLatini yekhulu lokuqala leminyaka B.C.E., wakhuluma kahle lapho ethi: “IGrisi eyisithunjwa, yathumba iRoma.”

Unkulunkulu WamaGreki Uyaviva

UAlexander III wazalwa ngo-356 B.C.E. ePella eMakedoniya. Ekhuliselwe ebukhosini, wajabulela ukufundiswa isazi sefilosofi esingumGreki esidumile uAristotle, esamsiza ukuba abe nesithakazelo kuyifilosofi, ezokwelapha, nesayensi. Izinga izimfundiso zika-Aristotle zefilosofi ezayilolonga ngayo indlela ka-Alexander yokucabanga kuyindaba yokudingidwa. Kodwa akukho kungabaza ngethonya likaHomer kuye, ngoba uAlexander, umfundi onogqozi, wayenothando olukhethekile ngezincwadi zezinganekwane zikaHomer. Eqinisweni, kuthiwa i-Iliad wayazi ngekhanda, okungesona isenzakalo esincane, njengoba lokhu kwakuzohilela ukubamba imisho eyizi-15 693 yezinkondlo ngekhanda.

Lapho eneminyaka eyi-20, ngemva kokuba uyise ebulewe, uAlexander walandela esihlalweni sobukhosi saseMakedoniya. Zisuka nje waba semkhankasweni wokunqoba lowo kamuva owamzuzela igama elithi uAlexander Omkhulu. Njengoba ngokuvamile ayebhekwa njengenye yamadoda anamandla empini kunawo wonke ake aba khona, ubukhulu bakhe bamnyusela ekubeni abhekwe njengonkulunkulu. Wayekhulekelwa kokubili ngaphambi nangemva kokufa kwakhe.

UAlexander wakhipha amaPheresiya eGibithe, lapho adunyiswa khona njengomkhululi. Incwadi ethi Man, Myth & Magic ithi: “Wamukelwa njengoFaro futhi lapho evakashela inxusa likankulunkulu uAmoni . . . umpristi wamkhulekela ngokomthetho ‘njengendodana ka-Amoni.’” Lesisehlakalo ngokusobala siyimbangela yendaba yokuthi wayeyindodana kaZeus, unkulunkulu omkhulu eqenjini lonkulunkulu ababekhulekelwa amaGreki.

UAlexander waqhubekela ngasempumalanga ekugcineni efinyelela izingxenye zaseNdiya. Endleleni eya eNdiya wanqoba iBabiloni, lapho kwakuvele khona imiqondo emini etholakala ezinganekwaneni nasenkolweni yezwe lakubo. Khona-ke kwakufaneleka ukuthi wahlela ukulenza inhlokodolobha yombuso wakhe. Kodwa ngoJune 13, 323 B.C.E., ngemva kokuba ebuse ngaphezudlwana nje kweminyaka eyi-12, unkulunkulu omkhulu wamaGreki wakhothama—efa eneminyaka eyi-32!

Unkulunkulu WamaRoma Ohlonishwayo

Idolobha laseRoma lalisekelwe emswesweni wezwe eliwumakhelwane laseltaly phakathi nekhulu lesishiyagalombili leminyaka B.C.E., amakhulu eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba iGrisi ifinyelele umvuthwandaba wayo wokubusa umhlaba ngaphansi kuka-Alexander. Ngemva kokufa kuka-Alexander, umbuso wezwe kancane kancane waya ngaseRoma. UJenene Julius Caesar, umphathi wombuso wamaRoma, wabulawa ngo-44 B.C.E., futhi ngemva kweminyaka eyi-13 yesiphithiphithi, indodana yakhe yokutholwa uOctavian yehlula izitha zakhe futhi yaqhubeka nokumisa uMbuso wamaRoma ngo-31 B.C.E.

Incwadi i-Imperial Rome ibiza uOctavian ngokuthi “inkosi enkulu kunawo wonke amakhosi amaningi aseRoma,” ithi “amaRoma ayembiza ngokuthi uAugustus, okusho ‘ohloniphekile,’ futhi abaholi benkolo yamaRoma Katolika babemdumisa njengonkulunkulu.” Njengokungathi uqinisekisa lemibono, uAugustus wayaleza ukuba kwenziwe izindandatho eziqoshiwe ezinomfanekiso wakhe noka-Alexander, owayemandulele. Kamuva iSigele SaseRoma sakhonza uAugustus njengonkulunkulu, futhi kwakhiwa amathempeli kulo lonke elaseRoma ukuze adunyiswe.

Ingabe Babesifanele Lesosiqu?

Akukho noyedwa namuhla, obengabeka amathemba akhe okuthula nokulondeka ezandleni zonkulunkulu bamaRoma namaGreki—hhayi kwabayizinganekwane ababebusa ukusuka eMount Olympus, noma kwabangabantu boqobo ababebusa ezihlalweni zobukhosi zezombangazwe. Kanti noma kunjalo, kusukela emvelaphini yazo yaseAsia kuze kube namuhla, izinkolo zamanga ziyaqhubeka zidukisa abantu ekubeni babeke ithemba labo konkulunkulu bezinganekwane labo abanesiqu kodwa abangasifanele. Ngokufanelekile, uHomer othandekayo kuAlexander wabhala kuyi-Iliad: “Yeka ubuze, lesisiqu esiyikho uma singafanelwe.”

Kuye kwathiwa amaGreki asendulo ayebheka i-Iliad “njengomthombo wemfundo yokuziphatha, ngisho newusizo.” Namuhla, kunezinye izincwadi eziningi ezicatshangelwa ngendlela efanayo. Indlela efanelekile yokuhlola izincwadi zenkolo ezinjalo ezidayiswa kakhulu kuzoba isihloko sethu esilandelayo kumagazini ka-April 8.

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Ukuzinikezela KwamaGreki Okonakalisayo

AmaGreki asendulo ayengenalo igama eliqonde ngqó lenkolo ngokwayo. Ayesebenzisa igama elithi eu·seʹbei·a, elingahunyushwa ngokuthi “ukuzinikezela,” “ukuziphatha okuqondile ngokuphathelene nonkulunkulu,” “ukudumisa kahle,” ‘nokuzinikela kunkulunkulu.’b

IThe New Encyclopœdia Britannica ithi: “Inkolo yamaGreki, esimweni sayo esithuthukisiwe, yaba khona iminyaka engaphezu kweyinkulungwane, kusukela ngesikhathi sikaHomer (cishe ngekhulu lesi-8 noma lesi-9 leminyaka BC) kuya esikhathini sokubusa kombusi uJulian (ngekhulu lesi-4 leminyaka AD), nakuba imvelaphi yayo ingase ilandelelwe kuhlehle kuye emuva ezikhathini ezikude kakhulu. Phakathi nalesosikhathi ithonya layo lasakazekela entshonalanga ekude njengaseSpain, empumalanga kuze kuyoflka elndus, nakulo lonke izwe laseMeditera. Ithonya layo laliphawuleka kakhulu kumaRoma, lawo onkulunkulu bawo ababefana nabamaGreki. Ngaphansi kobuKristu, amaqhawe angamaGreki ngisho nonkulunkulu ababekhulekelwa basinda bebizwa ngokuthi osanta, kuyilapho oMariya abayizincasakazi ababangisanayo emiphakathini yaseningizimu neYurophu babebonisa ukunganciki emikhubeni yokulumba yendawo.”

AmaKristu okuqala kwakudingeka ukuba abhekane nabakhulekeli bonkulunkulu bamanga bamaGreki nabamaRoma. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuyasitshela: “Kwathi-ke izixuku zikubona lokho akwenzile uPawulu, zaphakamisa izwi lazo, zathi ngesiLikawoniya: Onkulunkulu befana nabantu behlele kithi. UBarnaba bambiza ngokuthi uJupitheri [unkulunkulu owengamele ithempeli lamaGreki], uPawulu ngokuthi uMerkuriyu [unkulunkulu owayekhonza njengesithunywa sabanye onkulunkulu], ngokuba kwakunguye owayehola ekukhulumeni. Kepha umpristi kaJupitheri othempeli lakhe liphambi komuzi waletha izinkunzi nemigexo yezimbali ngasemasangweni, wafuna ukubahlabela ekanye nezixuku. Kwathi ukuba bakuzwe lokho abaphostoli oBarnaba noPawulu, baklebhula izingubo zabo, baphonseka phakathi kwesixuku bememeza bethi: Madoda, nikwenzelani lokhu na? Nathi singabantu abanjengani ngemvelo, sinishumayeza ivangeli ukuba niphenduke kulokho okuyize, niphendukele kuNkulunkulu ophilayo owenza izulu nomhlaba, nolwandle, nakho konke okukukho.”—IzEnzo 14:11-15.

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Onkulunkulu BamaGreki NabamaRoma

Onkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi abaningi bezinganekwane zamaGreki babenezikhundla ezifanayo ezinganekwaneni zamaRoma. Uhlu olungezansi lunikeza abanye bonkulunkulu ababalulekile bamaGreki namaRoma.

AmaGreki AmaRoma Isikhundla

UAphrodite UVenus Unkulunkulukazi wothando

UAres UMars Unkulunkulu wempi

UAsclepius UAesculapius Unkulunkulu wokuphilisa

UDemeter UCeres Unkulunkulukazi wezinto ezikhulayo

UEros UCupid Unkulunkulu wothando

UHestia UVesta Unkulunkulukazi weziko

UHypnos USomnus Unkulunkulu wobuthongo

URhea UOps Inkosikazi nodadewabo kaCronus

UZeus UJupiter Umbusi wonkulunkulu

Umthombo: I“The World Book Encyclopedia,” uhlelo luka-1987, Umqulu 13, Ikhasi 820

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UHermes

UDiana

UAsclepius

UJupiter

[Imithombo]

Photo Sources: Hermes. Diana, and Jupiter—Courtesy of British Museum, London

Asclepius—National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Qreece

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UAthena, unkulunkulukazi wempi nokuhlakanipha—umfaneklso sesangweni ledolobha, eWesel, eJalimane