EPompeii—Lapho Isikhathi Sama Khona

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! E-ITALY

AMAKHISHI anamapani eziko, izitolo ezigcwele izimpahla, imithombo eshile, imigwaqo engenalutho—konke kusenjengoba kwakunjalo, edolobheni elingenazakhamuzi, elishiywe dengwane. Lapha kusePompeii, lapho kubonakala sengathi isikhathi sama khona.

Konke kusenjengoba kwakunjalo ngalolo suku lwenhlekelele eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-1900 edlule lapho kuqhuma iMount Vesuvius, intaba-mlilo engasethekwini laseNaples. Yamboza iPompeii, iHerculaneum, iStabiae, kanye nendawo yasemaphandleni ezungezile ngomlotha nodaka olushisayo.

“Abantu basendulo,” kusho incwadi ethi Pompei, “babengazi lutho ngentaba-mlilo iVesuvius futhi babeyibheka njengentaba evundile enamahlathi aminyene nezivini ezinhle.” Kodwa ngo-August 24, 79 C.E., ngemva kokuthula iminyaka eminingi, lentaba-mlilo yaqhuma ngamandla amakhulu.

Ukuqhuma Kwango-79 C.E.

Lentaba-mlilo yakhipha umusi wegesi, udaka olushisayo, nemfucumfucu eyavala isibhakabhaka futhi yabangela imvula enkulu yomlotha nezingcezu ezincane zamadwala. Phakathi nezinsuku ezimbili iPompeii nendawo enkulu yasemaphandleni yambozwa ungqimba olujiyile, olungaba amamitha angu-2,5 ukujula. Nakuba kwakusekhona ukundindizela komhlaba okunamandla, leli dolobha lasitshekelwa ngokuphelele ifu elikhulu lamagesi anobuthi, elalingabonakali kodwa liyingozi. Nakuba iPompeii yayimbozeka kancane kancane, iHerculaneum yanyamalala ngokuphazima kweso. Ngokwencwadi ethi Riscoprire Pompei (Ukuvumbulula IPompeii), iHerculaneum yambozwa “udaka nemfucumfucu yentaba-mlilo okwafinyelela ukujula okungamamitha angamashumi amabili nambili eduze nogu.”

Izakhamuzi zasePompeii ezingaba ngu-15-000 zasabela ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Yilabo kuphela ababaleka ngokushesha abasinda. Nokho, abanye, bengafuni ukushiya amakhaya abo nakho konke okwakungaphakathi, basala, benethemba lokuthi babezoyigwema lengozi. Abanye, befuna ukusindisa impahla yabo eyigugu, banqikaza ngaphambi kokuba banqume ukubaleka, kodwa uphahla lwamakhaya abo lwadilikela phezu kwabo, ngenxa yokusinda komlotha.

Isibonelo salokhu umnikazi “wendlu yaseFaun,” owayengazimisele ukushiya ingcebo yakhe. Encwadini yakhe ethi La vie quotidienne à Pompéi (Ukuphila Kwansuku Zonke EPompeii), uRobert Étienne uthi: “Ephamazela, lona wesifazane ongumnikazi walendlu waqoqa imigexo yakhe eyigugu—amasongo egolide anjengezinyoka, izindandatho, iziqhano zezinwele, amacici, isibuko sesiliva, isikhwama esigcwele izinhlamvu zemali yegolide—wabe eselungela ukubaleka.” Esaba, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuna komlotha, wahlala endlini. “Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho,” kuqhubeka u-Étienne, “uphahla lwadilika, lwamboza lona wesifazane oneshwa namagugu akhe.” Abanye babulawa amagesi anobuthi ayesabalele kuyo yonke indawo.

Labo abanqikaza kwadingeka bacele empunzini, benqamula phezu kongqimba lomlotha olwalunqwabelene phakathi naleso sikhathi. Basala bedindilizile lapho bawela khona, bebulawe amagesi anobuthi futhi bambozwa imvula yomlotha ephikelelayo. Izidumbu zabo ezidabukisayo zatholakala emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, izinto zabo eziyigugu zisesemaceleni abo. Leli dolobha nezakhamuzi zalo lalimbozwe ungqimba lomlotha olujule ngamamitha angaphezu kwayisithupha.

Nokho, ngenxa yalemvula ebhubhisayo, ngisho nezakhamuzi zaleli dolobha ziye zavela futhi. Uyazi ukuthi kanjani? Phawula imifanekiso yemizimba yazo esithombeni esikuleli khasi. Yenziwa kanjani? Ngokuthela usimende emigodini yomlotha eyayinezidumbu ezibolile, abavubukuli baye bakwazi ukusisiza sibone imifanekiso imizimba yalezi zisulu ezisosizini eyagcina ime ngayo—“owesifazane osemusha olele phezu kwengalo yakhe; indoda, emboze umlomo wayo ngeduku elingakuvimbelanga ukuhogela uthuli namagesi anobuthi; izisebenzi zaseForum Baths, zidindilizile ngemva kokuzabalaza zihilwa amagesi; . . . umama oyanga okokugcina indodakazi yakhe encane ngokudabukisayo engenalusizo.”—I-Archeo.

Akulondekile EHerculaneum

EHerculaneum, engamakhilomitha ambalwa ukusuka ePompeii, labo abangazange babaleke ngokushesha bavaleleka. Abaningi babalekela ngasebhishi, mhlawumbe benethemba lokubaleka ngezikebhe, kodwa ukuzamazama kolwandle okunamandla kwavimbela izikebhe ukuba zihambe. Imivubukulo yamuva nje kuleli bhishi lasendulo eHerculaneum iye yathola amathambo abantu abangaphezu kuka-300. Njengoba babefuna isikhoselo endaweni esithekile engasolwandle, laba bantu bangcwatshwa bephila udaka nemfucumfucu yentaba-mlilo eyayigeleza. Nalapha futhi, abaningi babezamé ukusindisa izimpahla zabo eziyigugu: imihlobiso yegolide, izitsha zesiliva, amathuluzi okuhlinza—konke kuselapho, akunamsebenzi, eduze kwezidumbu zabanikazi.

Isikhathi Sama

IPompeii iwubufakazi obuqand’ikhanda bokuthi ukuphila kubuthaka lapho kubhekene namandla emvelo. Ngokungafani nezinye izindawo ezivubukuliwe emhlabeni, amanxiwa asePompeii nezindawo zangakhona anikeza umbono osiza izazi zanamuhla nalabo abanelukuluku lokufuna ukwazi ukuba bacusumbule ukuphila kwansuku zonke ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E.

Ukuchuma kwalendawo kwakuxhomeke ngokuyinhloko kwezolimo, izimboni, nezentengiselwano. Njengoba kwakunezisebenzi eziningi—kuqashwa izigqila nabantu abakhululekile nsuku zonke—indawo yasemaphandleni evundile yayiba nomkhiqizo oyinala. Imisebenzi eminingi kuleli dolobha yayihlobene nokuhweba ngokudla. Noma ubani ovakashela ePompeii usengabona izigayo zommbila, imakethe yemifino, nezitolo zabathengisi bezithelo newayini. Ungabona izakhiwo ezazisetshenziselwa ezentengiselwano—zokwenza uvolo nelineni nezokuphotha nokwaluka izindwangu ezimbonini. Njengoba kunezinye izimboni ezincane eziningi, kusuka ezindaweni zabenzi bemigexo kuya ezitolo zokuthengisa izinto zokwakha, lezi zakhiwo, kanye nezindlu, zaziyidolobha.

Imigwaqo ewumngcingo, eyake yaphithizela igandaywe ngamatshe. Emaceleni kunezindawo zokuhamba eziphakeme nemithombo yomphakathi enamapayipi enziwe ngobunyoninco. Emakhoneni emigwaqo emikhulu kukhona imihlobiso engavamile. Njengezandulela zasendulo zendawo yokuwela umgwaqo namuhla, kubekwe amatshe amakhulu aphakeme phakathi nomgwaqo ayeqondisa abantu abahamba ngezinyawo futhi abasize ukuba izinyawo zabo zingangeni emanzini lapho lina. Noma obani abadonsa amakalishi ezilwane edolobheni kwakufanele babe nekhono elithile lokugwema lamatshe aphakeme. Asekhona! Akukho okushintshile.

Ukuphila Kwangasese

Ngisho nokuzithiba ekuphileni kwangasese kwabantu basePompeii kuyaqapheleka kubantu banamuhla. Ubona owesifazane ogqoke imigexo emihle efele ezingalweni zebutho laseshashalazini esikhumulweni sempi. Iminyango yezindlu nezitolo ivuleke ngé. Kubonakala amakhishi, njengokungathi ashiywe emizuzwini embalwa edlule, kunamapani eziko, isinkwa esingavuthiwe sisekuhhavini, nojeke abakhulu belenga odongeni. Kunamakamelo ahlotshiswe kahle ngosimende, imidwebo yasodongeni, nemifekethiso yokuhlobisa, lapho abacebile babengcebeleka khona ngokunethezeka, besebenzisa izindebe zesiliva nezitsha ezinhle kakhulu. Izingadi zangaphakathi ezinokuthula zizungezwe izinsika zophahla futhi zihlotshiswe ngemithombo yamanzi emihle engasasebenzi. Kukhona nezithombe zemabula ne-bronze ezenziwe ngobuciko obukhulu kanye nama-altare onkulunkulu abakhulekelwa ekhaya.

Nokho, indlela yokuphila kwabaningi yayinesizotha kakhulu. Abaningi ababengenazo izinto zokupheka emakhaya babevame ukuya ezindaweni zokuphuza eziningi. Lapho babengathola khona ithuba lokuncokola, bagembule, noma bathenge ukudla neziphuzo ngemali ephansi. Kumelwe ukuba ezinye zalezi zindawo zazinedumela elibi, lapho oweta besifazane, ngokuvamile okwakungamantombazane ayizigqila, babesebenza khona njengezifebe ngemva kokulethela amakhasimende iziphuzo. Ngaphandle kwezindawo zokuphuza ezinjalo eziningi, imivubukulo iye yembula nezinye izindawo eziningi ezinedumela elibi, ngokuvamile eziphawuleka ngemidwebo nemibhalo eyichilo ngempela.

Isikhathi Sokuthatha Isinyathelo

Ukubhubha kwePompeii ngokungazelele kwenza umuntu azindle. Ngokusobala, abayizinkulungwane ababhubha lapho abazange basabele ngokuphuthuma okwanele ezixwayisweni zenhlekelele eyayisondela—ukuzamazama komhlaba okuphindaphindiwe, ukuqhuma kwentaba-mlilo, kanye nemvula esabekayo yomlotha. Banqikaza, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi babengafuni ukushiya ukuphila kwabo okunethezekile nezimpahla zabo. Mhlawumbe babenethemba lokuthi ingozi yayizodlula noma ukuthi sasizoba khona isikhathi sokubaleka uma izinto ziba zimbi. Ngokudabukisayo, babenzé iphutha.

ImiBhalo isitshela ukuthi namuhla izwe lonke lisesimweni esifanayo. Umphakathi owonakele esiphila kuwo uhlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu. Usuzoqothulwa ngokungazelele. (2 Petru 3:10-12; Efesu 4:17-19) Bonke ubufakazi bubonisa ukuthi leso sikhathi siseduze. (Mathewu 24:3-42; Marku 13:3-37; Luka 21:7-36) Futhi amanxiwa adabukisayo asePompeii awubufakazi obuthule bobuwula bokunqikaza.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 24]

Iziphambano Zobukristu?

Ukutholakala kweziphambano ezihlukahlukene ePompeii, kuhlanganise nesinye esenziwe ngosimende odongeni lwendawo yokubhaka izinkwa, kuye kwachazwa abanye njengobufakazi bokuba khona kwamaKristu kuleli dolobha ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kwalo ngo-79 C.E. Ingabe lowo umbono onengqondo?

Ngokusobala akunjalo. Encwadini yakhe ethi Presenze giudaiche e cristiane a Pompei (Ukuba Khona KwamaJuda NamaKristu EPompeii), u-Antonio Varone uthi ukuze sithole “ukukhulekelwa okuphelele kwesiphambano, kudingeka sibheke ekhulwini lesine leminyaka, lapho ukuguquka kombusi nezixuku zamaqaba kwakuzokwenza ukuba ukukhulekela okunjalo kuvumelane nokuthambekela kwabo okungokwenkolo.” UVarone uyanezela: “Ngisho nasekhulwini lesibili nelesithathu kuze kube sesikhathini sikaConstantine, kuyethukela ukuthola uphawu olunjalo oluhlobene nobuKristu.”

Uma izimpawu ezinjalo zingezona ezobuKristu, zivelaphi? Ngaphandle kokungabaza ngokuthi luyini lolu phawu okwakucatshangwa ukuthi isiphambano kanye nokutholakala komdwebo kankulunkulu othile oyinyoka kulendawo yokubhaka izinkwa, uVarone uthi kukhona “ezinye izinto ezatholakala eziyichilo ngempela nazo okunzima ukuzihlobanisa nokuthambekela okungokwenkolo okuthiwa okobuKristu komnikazi walendawo yokubhaka izinkwa.” Uyanezela: “Kuyaziwa ukuthi kusukela ekuqaleni kwempucuko, ngaphambi kokuba lube uphawu lwensindiso, uphawu lwesiphambano lwalusetshenziselwa izinjongo ezisobala zokwenza umlingo namasiko enkolo.” Lesi sazi sichaza ukuthi ezikhathini zasendulo, kwakucatshangwa ukuthi isiphambano sinamandla okuxosha noma okuqeda amathonya amabi futhi ngokuyinhloko sasisetshenziswa njengesivikelo ebubini.

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

IKhothamo likaCaligula kanye neMount Vesuvius ngemuva

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

Ngenhla: Imifanekiso kasimende yezakhamuzi zasePompeii

Kwesobunxele: IKhothamo likaNero nengxenye yethempeli likaJupiter

[Imithombo Yesithombe ekhasini 22]

Photos on pages 2 (bottom), 22, and 23: Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei

Vertical borders: Glazier