Iagora Isazulu SeAthene Yamandulo

INKCUBABUCHOPHO zaseAthene zazivath’ inja! Kwakusoloko kuvezwa iingcamango ezintsha kwiagora okanye indawo yemarike yeso sixeko samaGrike. Noko ke, ngesi sihlandlo izinto zazitshintshile. Kubonakala ukuba kwakukho indoda ethile engumYuda, eyathi isandul’ ukufika kweso sixeko, ‘yangumvakalisi wezithixo zasemzini.’ Le ndedeba yayithetha izinto ezinkulu ‘kwabo kwakusenzeka ukuba babekho.’ “Yintoni na elingathanda ukuyixela eli pholopholo?” abuza amaEpikure sele endolosa likratshi ekunye namaStoyike awayevath’ iqaqa. Ewe, iagora yaseAthene yayiyindawo ekwakudliw’ iimbadu kuyo ngayo nayiphi na imibandela abayaziyo abantu. Kodwa ke le yokuza noothixo abangaziwayo—hay’ bo, kukugabadela oko!—IZenzo 17:17, 18.

Le yindlela abantu baseAthene ababemrhanela ngayo umpostile uPawulos xa waqalisa ukushumayela okokuqala kwiagora yaseAthene. Wayethetha ngoYesu Kristu nangovuko. Yintoni le yayityhulu kubantu baseAthene ababebonakala noko behluzekile engqondweni xa umntu esiza neengcamango ezintsha kwiagora?

IAthene Ifumana Indawo Yayo Yembutho

Eyona nto yayahluke ngokwenene yiagora ngenkqu kunye nendima ebalulekileyo eyayiphumeza kunqulo nakubomi babemi baseAthene. Iagora yaseAthene yindawo ethe ukuthambeka kancinane emalunga neehektare ezilishumi ekumntla-ntshona weAcropolis. Kuyabonakala ukuba ngenkulungwane yesithandathu Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, lisadl’ amazimba iqhaji nomqingqi-mthetho waseAthene uSolon, esi siqwengana somhlaba sasilungiselelwe ukuba sibe sisiza sendawo yembutho yeso sixeko. Kuthe kwakufika idemokrasi eAthene, eyathi yagxininisa ngakumbi kubomi babantu, izakhiwo zanyuka okweenkowane ebutsheni benkulungwane eyalandelayo. Oku kwayivuselela iagora kwaza kwayenza yabaluleka nangakumbi.

Igama lesiGrike elithi a·go·raʹ lithatyathwe kwisenzi esithetha “ukubuthana, ukuhlanganisana.” Oku kuhambisana kakuhle nokusetyenziswa kweagora njengendawo yembutho yeso sixeko. Iagora yaba sisazulu sobomi babantu. Yaba yindawo yeenkokeli zabahlali kunye neenkundla, indawo ephambili yokurhweba nokushishina, indawo yemiboniso yemidlalo yeqonga yamaGrike, indawo eyayiqhutywa kuyo imidlalo ethile, nendawo ezazithanda ukuhlanganisana kuyo iindwalutho xa zincazelana ngolwazi.

Ngaba akungethandi ukukhenketha kuloo mabhodlo eetempile, iintsika, imifanekiso eqingqiweyo, amatye esikhumbuzo nezakhiwo zikawonke wonke zeagora yaseAthene? Xa sifuna ukuyifumana kakuhle ingcombolo yeagora, makhe siyishiye ingxolo nokuphithizela kwesixeko sale mihla size senjenjeyaa ukuhla ngezo ndlela zomhlaba, sityhubela loo mabhodlo akhal’ ibhungane ezakhiwo zelitye lebhastile, amatye axonkxiweyo naloo masango abhodlokayo nasele eminxwe lukhula nezicithi.

Iitempile, Amangcwaba Noothixo

Iindwendwe ziye zingazilibali iitempile, amangcwaba kunye namatye ezikhumbuzo anikelwe kothixo abahlukeneyo. Zonke ezi zinto zazisenza iagora ibe sisazulu sonqulo sesibini ubukhulu ukulandela iAcropolis. Ebudeni beXesha Lemincili kwiAthene yamandulo, unqulo lwalukhonya kuzo zonke iinkalo zobomi babantu. Oku kwakuthetha ukuthi izithixo ezahlukeneyo ezazigqalwa “njengoothixo” bamasebe karhulumente neenkonzo ezithile zabasemagunyeni zazinikwa iitempile kwiagora.

Esona sikhulu kwezi zakhiwo yayiyiTempile kaHephaestus. Uthixokazi uAthena wayenxulunyaniswa noHephaestus. Zozibini ezi zithixo zazinqulwa njengoothixo benkcubeko nemisebenzi yezandla. Izinto ezimbiweyo ezenziwe ngentsimbi nomdongwe ezifunyenwe kude kufuphi nale tempile ziye zanxulunyaniswa noHephaestus, uthixo wamaGrike wenkcubeko owayefuna kusetyenziswe umlilo. Mhlawumbi ngenkulungwane yesixhenxe yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, le tempile yayiphethwe kakuhle yaguqulwa yayiGreek Orthodox Church of St. George, nangona ingaseyiyo namhlanje.

Noko ke, iagora yayimele ibe nowayo uthixo. Igama lakhe yayinguZeus Agoraios, owayefanele aphefumlele isiguqo ekwakunikelwe kuso isibingelelo esihonjisiweyo esasenziwe ngelitye elinqabileyo lebhastile elifumaneka kwiNtaba yePentelicus. (Thelekisa IZenzo 14:11, 12.) Isibingelelo esikude kufuphi sikaMama Woothixo sasixhagwe bubukhazikhazi bamatye ezikhumbuzo amaqhawe.

Xa sisithi tyishi, sifumana itempile encinane yamaIon. Isazi ngokuma komhlaba uPausanias sayichaza ngokuthi yiTempile ka-Apollo uBawo. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba ngokutsho kwentsomi yamaGrike, wayenguyise kaIon, umseki wesizwe samaIon ama-Athene awayeyinxalenye yaso.a Ngenxa yoko, uApollo wayengomnye woothixo bebhunga leziphatha-mandla zelo lizwana, ngokukodwa ngokunxibelelene neemvaba ezahlukeneyo ezazikho kweso sixeko.

Xa sisiya ngasemntla, zisuka nje sithana mandla namabhodlo etempile encinane eyenziwe ngelitye lekalika, eyakhiwa phakathi nenkulungwane yesine Ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Apha kwakunqulwa uZeyus noAthena Phatrios, othixo ababephambili kwiimvaba ezazinqula izinyanya. Ukuze ube lilungu kwezi mvaba kwakufuneka ube ngummi waseAthene. Xa sinqumla isitrato, sibona amabhodlo esibingelelo sooThixo Abalishumi Elinesibini.

KuLuhlu lukaZeus Eleutherios oluthe tyishi, kwakuphinda kunqulwe lo thixo mkhulu wamaGrike, ngesi sihlandlo njengothixo wenkululeko nentlangulo. Olu luhlu lweentsika, okanye istoa, lwaluyindawo yokuhambahamba eyayithandwa kwaye lukwayindawo yokuhlanganisana. Kuthiwa ke isithandi sobulumko esaziwayo uSocrates sasidibana kolu luhlu noogxa baso, bedla ngokuchopha baze badl’ iimbadu okanye bathi chu behambahamba. Uninzi lweminikelo nezipho ezenziwa ukuze kuhonjiswe olu luhlu, ezinjengamakhaka amajoni awafela edabini esilwela iAthene, zazinxibelelene ngokungqalileyo nokuhlangulwa kwesi sixeko kwiintshaba zaso okanye ukulondoloza inkululeko yaso.

UHola WePanathenaea

Kukho indlela ephangaleleyo yomhlaba enqumla iagora ngokuxwesileyo ebizwa ngokuba nguHola wePanathenaea. Igama lakhe kunye nendlela enziwe wakhetheka ngayo ithatyathwe kumbhiyozo wesizwe sonke waseAthene, iPanathenaea. Ebudeni balo mbhiyozo isigubungelo sikathixokazi uAthena sasiphathwa kule ndlela ukusuka kwiNdlu Yomngcelele (esecaleni kwesango lesixeko) ukuya kutsho kwiAcropolis. Isibopho esihonjisiweyo esasinxitywa kwiParthenon siyasinceda sibe nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wobukhazikhazi nobunewunewu obabukuloo mngcelele wombhiyozo—umkhosi wamahashe, iinqwelo zokulwa ezibalekayo, iinkomo nezimvu ezaziza kwenziwa amadini, umlisela nomthinjana ophethe izixhobo zokwenza amadini. Kulo mngcelele kwakubakho abemi baseAthene kunye neendwendwe zabo, abalungiselelwe kakuhle ngamagcisa okwakha xa ayeceba iagora. Ngokomzekelo, izintlu zeentsika neeveranda zazo kunye nezinyuko zazakhiwe ngobugcisa ukuze zigudle indlela yalo mngcelele. Izinyuko ezininzi ezazenziwe ngaphambi kwazo zazinokuhlala imiqodi yababukeli.

“Sasizaliswe Zizithixo”

Ngenxa yezi tempile, imifanekiso eqingqiweyo kunye namatye ezikhumbuzo amaninzi awayeqokelelwe ndawonye, akumangalisi ngoko ukuba ‘umoya kampostile uPawulos ngaphakathi kwakhe wacatshukiswa kukubona ukuba isixeko sasizaliswe zizithixo.’ (IZenzo 17:16) Okwabonwa nguPawulos akungena kwiagora kumele ukuba kwakulisikizi. Imifanekiso eqingqiweyo efana nelungu lobudoda yothixo uHermes yayimininzi kangangokuba kwafuneka yenzelwe olwayo uluhlu lweentsika, olwalusaziwa ngokuba luLuhlu lukaHermes, ukuze igcinwe kulo. Iingubo ezikweminye imifanekiso ezotyiweyo kaHermes zinemiqondiso ethile—efuzisela ukuqhama nobomi. Kwakukho umfanekiso oqingqiweyo kaVenus Genetrix, uthixokazi wothando lweentlobano zesini, kunye nomnye kaDionysus oneminqamlezo emininzi efana nelungu lobudoda. Into eyayiphawula “ukungcwaliswa” kweagora yayingummandla ongumda owawunesitya esasinamanzi “angcwele” ngokwesithethe awayesetyenziselwa ukuhlambulula abo babengena kuyo.

Ngenxa yale meko yonqulo, sitsho sasibona isizathu sokuba uPawulos abe wayeyinyathele emsileni. Wayerhanelwa kusithiwa ‘ungumvakalisi wezithixo zasemzini,’ ibe umthetho welo xesha wawusithi ‘akukho mntu ufanele abe noothixo bakhe yedwa, okanye abatsha; engafanele kananjalo anqule ngasese oothixo abangaziwayo engakhange anikwe imvume ekuhleni.’ Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba lo mpostile asiwe eAreyopago ukuze akhe ancinwe.—IZenzo 17:18, 19.

Ikomkhulu

Isakhiwo esisisazinge esasibizwa ngokuba yiTholos sasilikomkhulu lorhulumente waseAthene. Oosihlalo abaninzi besi sixeko babelala kwesi sakhiwo ebusuku ukuze nanjengamagosa anembopheleleko basoloko bekufutshane. Kule Tholos kwakugcinwe uludwe lwezilinganiso zobunzima nezinye izinto zokumentesha. Amanye amasebe ahlukeneyo ayekwizakhiwo ezikude kufuphi nayo. INdlu yeBhunga yayikwithambeka elukumntla-ntshona weTholos. Kule ndlu, amalungu eBhunga angama-500 ayeqhuba iintlanganiso ngaloo ndlela esenza umsebenzi weekomiti yaye equlunqa imithetho elungiselela iNdlu Yowiso-mthetho.

Esinye isakhiwo seenkonzo zaseburhulumenteni esibalulekileyo yayiluLuhlu lweRoyal. Apha kwakuhlala uMantyi Omkhulu waseAthene—omnye woomantyi abathathu abaphambili besi sixeko. Wayezisingathela apha iimbopheleleko ezininzi zolawulo eziphathelele imibandela yonqulo neyomthetho. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uSocrates wabizelwa apha xa wayetyholwa ngokungabi nantlonelo. Imithetho yezinyanya yaseAthene yayibhalwe kwiindonga zesakhiwo esingqamene nayo. Oomantyi abaphambili, babesima phezu kwelitye elithile elalibekwe phambi kwesi sakhiwo ukuze benze izifungo zabo zokuthabatha loo msebenzi.

ULuhlu Luka-Attalus

Esona sakhiwo sigcinwe kakuhle kwiagora luLuhlu luka-Attalus. Xa wayesengumfana, uAttalus, uKumkani wasePergamo (wenkulungwane yesibini Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo), wafunda kwizikolo zaseAthene, njengoninzi lwamanye amatshawe ommandla weMeditera. Uthe akulawula, wenza esi sipho sihle kunene—uLuhlu luka-Attalus—kwisixeko awayefunda kuso.

Eyona njongo iphambili yoLuhlu luka-Attalus yayikunikela ikhusi nendawo entle yokuhambahamba kulungiselelwa iimbutho ezingacwangciswanga kunye nokuphakelana ngezimvo. Imigangatho kunye neeveranda zayo zazikwenza ukwazi ukuyibona kakuhle imingcelele, ngoxa ukusetyenziswa kwayo kakhulu njengendawo yokuhambahamba kumele ukuba kwayenza yayindawo eneevenkile ezininzi. Mhlawumbi ezi venkile zaziqeshiswa nguRhulumente kubarhwebi ukuze ezo zakhiwo zibe nemali eziyingenisayo kurhulumente.

Ekubeni lubuyiselwe kwimeko yayo yantlandlolo, uLuhlu luka-Attalus lungumzekelo omhle wesakhiwo esihonjiswe kakuhle. Imilinganiselo yalo, indlela ethandekayo awenziwe akalingana ngayo amacandelo angaphantsi nangaphezulu, umbono othi ndijonge wokukhanya okungena apha naphaya, ubuqhele-qhele nobuyoko-yoko bezinto olwakhiwe ngazo, zonke ezi zinto zilwenza lwahluke. Ziliqedlana noko izinto ezenza esi sakhiwo singabi luzenge-zenge olukruqulayo, eyona iphawulekayo kukusetyenziswa kweentloko zeentsika ezintathu ezahlukeneyo—eyamaDori, eyamaIon neyamaYiputa.

Indawo Yenkcubeko

Isakhiwo esasiyindawo yokuqhuba izinto ezininzi zenkcubeko eAthene yayiyiConcert. Sasingumnikelo kaVipsanius Agrippa, umkhwenyana woMlawuli wamaRoma uAgasto. Ibala elingaphambili kwaso, laligangathwe ngelitye lebhastile elimbejembeje. Iholo yaso, eyayinokuhlala abantu abamalunga ne-1000, yayiziimitha ezingama-25 ubude yaye ekuqaleni yayifulelwe ngophahla olwalungenazintsika. Le ndlela yokufulela yayilelinye lawona malinge akhaliphileyo aziwayo ekufuleleni mandulo! Noko ke, mhlawumbi inkoliso yeminyhadala eyayiqhutywa kuyo yayingaginyeki ncam kumaKristu okwenyaniso, ekubeni ayenemilinganiselo ephakamileyo yokuziphatha.—Efese 5:3-5.

Kusenokwenzeka ukuba, abo babenxanelw’ ulwazi mandulo babetyelela kuMzi Wogcino-zincwadi kaPantainos. Iindonga zawo zazizele ziikhabhathi ekwakugcinwa kuzo imisongo ebhalwe ngesandla yompapiri neyeemfele. Elona gumbi likhulu kulo mzi wogcino-zincwadi lalijonge entshona kwintendelezo enodederhu lweentsika—indawo entle yokuhambahamba, ukufunda okanye ukucamngca. Kuye kwafunyanwa umbhalo onemithetho emibini yalo mzi wogcino-zincwadi. Yayisithi: “Akukho ncwadi kufanelwe kumkiwe nayo,” nothi “[Lo mzi] uvulwa ngelixa lokuqala ukusa kwelesithandathu.”

Iagora Namhlanje

Kwiminyaka yakutshanje, iagora iphantse ibe iye yembiwa ngokupheleleyo siSikolo SaseMerika Sezifundo Zezinto Zakudala. Ekubeni isithwe ngurhec’ izulu oyiAcropolis, iye yayeyona ndawo ithandwa ngabakhenkethi abafuna ukukhe babone amagqabantshintshi embali yeAthene yamandulo.

IMarike YeMonastiraki—ekumganyana ongephi ukusuka kwiagora nakwiAcropolis—yenye indawo ebangel’ imincili. Le marike inika umntu otyelele apho ithuba lokubona inkcubeko emangalisayo nebangel’ imincili yamaGrike kunye neendawo ezibuvenkile zaseMbindi-mpuma naseMpuma ezithengisa izisulu. Yaye, kakade ke, umntu otyeleleyo uya kubona amaNgqina kaYehova alapho evuyela ukwenza kanye oko umpostile uPawulos wakwenza kwiminyaka engaphezu kwe-1900 eyadlulayo—ezivakalisa esidlangalaleni iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani ‘kwabo kwakusenzeka ukuba babekho.’

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 28]

Urhwebo EAthene

Iagora yayingeyondawo ibalasele kwizifundiswa nakubahlali baseAthene kuphela kodwa yayikwayeyona marike inkulu kweso sixeko. IAthene yaba sisazulu sezorhwebo, esasidume ngemali yaso enexabiso elingaguquguqukiyo nesasinoomantyi abangqongqo, ababenikwe igunya lokuqinisekisa ukuba lonke urhwebo olwaluqhutywa apho alunabuqhinga yaye lwenziwa ngokusesikweni.

IAthene yayirhweba kwamanye amazwe ngewayini, amafutha omnquma, ubusi, ilitye lebhastile nezinto eziveliswayo ezinjengezomdongwe kunye neentsimbi. Ubukhulu becala yayifuna ingqolowa yona kuloo mazwe. Ekubeni iAttica (ummandla ongqonge iAthene) yayingavelisi zinto zaneleyo ukuze yondle abemi bayo, imigaqo yayo yorhwebo yayithande ukuba ngqongqo. Imarike eyayisePiraeus (izibuko laseAthene) yayisoloko inokutya okulungileyo nokwaneleyo kokondla isixeko nomkhosi. Yaye abarhwebi babengavunyelwa ukuba bagcine ukutya koovimba benyeke ukubiza amaxabiso aphakamileyo ngako ngomhla kaxakeka.