Romatɔwo ƒe Ŋutinya me Nusɔsrɔ̃ Aɖe

“NENYE ame ƒe susu nue mewɔ aʋa kple lã wɔadãwo le Efeso la.” Ame aɖewo susu be nya mawo, siwo woŋlɔ ɖe Korintotɔwo I, 15:32, la fia be wokplɔ apostolo Paulo yi Romatɔwo ƒe fefewɔƒe be woawɔ avu. Eɖawɔ avu le afima alo mewɔe o, amewo kpɔkplɔ yi fefewɔƒewo be woaɖawɔ avu atsi eme aku bɔ le ɣeyiɣi mawo me. Nya kae blemaŋutinyawo gblɔ tso fefewɔƒe mawo kple wɔna siwo yia edzi le afima ŋu na mí?

Esi míenye Kristotɔwo ta la, míedi be míamlã míaƒe dzitsinya ɖe Yehowa ƒe nukpɔsusu nu, si ate ŋu akpe ɖe mía ŋu be míawɔ nyametsotsowo, siwo me egbegbe modzakaɖeɖewo hã le. Le kpɔɖeŋu me, bu Mawu ƒe nukpɔsusu le ŋutasesẽ ŋu, abe esi wòɖe fia le nya siawo me be: “Megaʋã ŋu [ŋutasẽla] o, eye eƒe mɔ aɖeke megadze ŋuwò o” ene ŋu kpɔ. (Lododowo 3:31) Nuxlɔ̃amenya ma nɔ Kristotɔ gbãtɔwo si hefia mɔ wo wolé wo ɖokui nyuie esime amesiwo ƒo xlã wo la dometɔ geɖe va nɔ dzidzɔ dom ɖe Romatɔwo ƒe yivuwɔwɔwo ŋu. Le ŋugbledede le nusiwo  yi edzi le wɔna mawo me ŋu la, mina míakpɔe ɖa be nusɔsrɔ̃ kae dze ƒã le eme na Kristotɔwo egbea hã.

Yivuwɔla eve kpea aʋa le Romatɔwo ƒe fefewɔƒea. Ne yi gbãtɔ siwo woda la dze akpoxɔnuawo dzi la, amehawo ƒe ɣli ɖina hoo wonɔa dzi dem ƒo na avuwɔla si dzi wole. Avuwɔwɔa yia edzi vevie eteƒe mekɔna o. Eteƒe medidina o avuwɔlaawo dometɔ ɖeka xɔna abi vevie eye nu glonɛ wòɖena asi le eƒe lãnuawo ŋu dana ɖe anyigba hedzea klo ɖenɛ fiana be yena ta eye wòƒoa koko be woakpɔ nublanui na ye. Nukpɔlawo ƒe ɣli dena dzi bobobo. Amehaawo dometɔ aɖewo doa ɣli be woakpɔ nublanui nɛ, bubuwo gblɔna be woawui. Amesiame ƒe ŋku nɔa dziɖula la dzi. Dziɖulaa si le to ɖom amehaawo la te ŋu ɖena asi le avuwɔla si dzi wòɖu la ŋu alo wɔna dzesi aɖe si fiana be woawui.

Romatɔwo kpɔa dzidzɔ ɖe yivuwɔwɔ kpɔkpɔ ŋu vevie. Awɔ nuku na wò be nàse be ameŋkutawo ƒe kunuwɔƒee wowɔa avu siawo tɔgbe le tsã. Woxɔe se be Oska alo Samni tɔwo, siwo nɔ afisi va zu titina Italy egbea, ƒe amewo tsɔtsɔ sa vɔ mee avuwɔwɔa do tso. Wosaa vɔ siawo be woatsɔ alé avu ame kukuwo ƒe gbɔgbɔwoe. Woyɔa avuwɔwɔ mawo be munus, alo “nunana” (munera, eyɔyɔ si fia agbɔsɔsɔtɔ). Ƒe 264 D.M.Ŋ. mee wowɔ avu gbãtɔ siwo ŋu nya woŋlɔ ɖi la le Roma, esime yivuwɔla eveve teƒe etɔ̃ wɔ avu le nyilãsime. Le Marcus Aemilius Lepidus ƒe kuteƒe la, wowɔ avu vovovo 22. Le Publius Licinius ƒe kuteƒe la, ame eveve teƒe 60 kpe avu kple wo nɔewo. Le ƒe 65 D.M.Ŋ. me la, Julius Caesar ɖo ame eveve teƒe 320 ɖe avuwɔƒea.

Ŋutinyaŋlɔla Keith Hopkins gblɔ be: “Wozãa ameŋkutawo ƒe kunuwɔwɔwo tsɔ doa dunyahetaɖodzinuwo ɖe ŋgɔe, eye dunyahenukpɔsusuwo nɔa megbe na kuteƒe fefewɔwɔwo . . . elabena dumevi akɔdalawo vaa fefea wɔƒe godoo. Le nyateƒe me la, ameŋkuta ŋkɔxɔxɔdilawo ƒe dunyahehe me hoʋiʋliwo koŋ gbɔe wòtso be yivuwɔwɔ va zu fefe xɔŋkɔ.” Kaka Augustus ƒe dziɖuɣi (27 D.M.Ŋ. vaseɖe 14 M.Ŋ.) naɖo la, munera va zu nunana—wotsɔ ɖea modzakae na amehawo—si dziɖuɖumegã hotsuitɔwo zãna tsɔ doa woƒe dunyahehe nukpɔsusuwo ɖe ŋgɔe.

Yivua Wɔlawo Kple Woƒe Hehexɔxɔ

Àbia be, ‘Amekawoe wɔa yivua?’ Woate ŋu anye kluviwo, nuvɔ̃ɖiwɔla siwo wotso kufia na, aboyomewo, alo ablɔɖeme siwo dzidzɔdonuwo alo ŋkɔxɔxɔdidi kple kesinɔnuwo ble de eme la. Sukuxɔ siwo wotu abe gaxɔwo ene mee wonaa hehe wo katã le. Agbalẽ si nye Giochi e spettacoli (Fefewo Kple Nukpɔlawo) ka nya ta be “dzɔlawo ƒe ŋku nɔa yivuwɔla siwo le hehe xɔm la ŋu ɣesiaɣi eye wotsɔa hehexɔɖoɖo sesẽwo, se sesẽwo, kple vevietɔ tohehe sesẽwo kplɔa woe . . . Zi geɖe la, ɖoɖo siawo tsɔtsɔ kplɔ woe naa wo dometɔ aɖewo wua wo ɖokui alo dzea aglã.” Xɔ suesuesuewo le Roma-dukɔa ƒe yivusrɔ̃suku lolotɔ kekeake me si me ame akpe ɖeka ya teti nɔna. Amesiame kple avuwɔwɔ si wòsrɔ̃na. Wo dometɔ aɖewo kplaa aʋawɔnuwo, akpoxɔnuwo, kple yi tsɔ wɔna avuae, eye bubuwo tsɔa ɖɔ kple akplɔ yinae. Woganaa hehe ame bubuwo hã be woawɔ avu kple lã wɔadãwo le fefe xɔŋkɔ bubu, si woyɔna be lãvuwɔwɔ me. Ðe wòanye wɔna sia tututu ŋue Paulo nɔ nu ƒom lea?

Yivuwɔwɔ ŋuti ɖoɖowɔlawo te ŋu tena ɖe gatɔwo, amesiwo xɔa ƒe 17 alo 18 viwo henaa yivuwɔwɔ ŋuti hehe wo la ŋu, xɔa kpekpeɖeŋu tso wo gbɔ. Amesitsatsa va zu dɔ si me wonɔ ga geɖe kpɔm le. Le yivuwɔwɔ ɖedzesi aɖe si ŋu Trajan wɔ ɖoɖo ɖo be yeatsɔ ado dzidzɔ ɖe yeƒe  aʋadziɖuɖu ŋui me la, yivuwɔla 10,000 kple lã 11,000 ye kpe ŋgo.

Nusi Dzɔna le Fefewɔƒea le Ŋkeke Ðeka Dzi

Wozãa ŋdimewo na lãvuwɔwɔ le fefewɔƒea. Wote ŋu hea lã wɔadã vovovowo yina fefewɔƒea. Nukpɔlawo kpɔa dzidzɔ ɖe nyitsu kple sisiblisi ƒe avuwɔwɔ ŋu ŋutɔ. Zi geɖe la, woblaa lã evea ɖe wo nɔewo ŋu be woawɔ avu vaseɖe esime ɖeka naku, emegbe adela wua evelia. Fefe bubu siwo dzɔa dzi na amewo enye dzatawo kple kpɔ̃wo, alo atiglinyiwo kple sisiblisiwo ƒe avuwɔwɔ. Adelawo ɖea woƒe adedaɖaŋuwo fiana le lã manyamanya siwo wolɔ tso dukɔ bubu siwo le Roma-fiaɖuƒea te me vɛ la wuwu me, aleke kee lã mawo ɖaxɔ asii o—lãklẽwo, gbenyiwo, tɔmenyiwo, sɔvedawo, agbotoewo, kposɔwo, amegãxiwo, gbehawo, kple avugbɔewo.

Nukpɔkpɔ si lãvuwɔƒea nyena la naa wòtsia susu me na amewo. Wozãa agakpewo, tsitawo, kple atiwo tsɔ trɔa asi le teƒea ŋu wòɖia aveme. Le fefewɔƒe aɖewo la, nukɔmɔ̃ siwo woɖi ɖe to me kɔa lãwo toa ʋɔtruwo nu va dona ɖe teƒea le vome abe ɖe wohe wo vɛ to akunyawɔwɔ me ene. Lãwo ƒe nɔnɔme aɖewo siwo woɖena fiana vlavo amewo kpɔna hã naa dzi dzɔa wo ɖe lãvuwɔwɔ kpɔkpɔ ŋu, gake edze abe nusi koŋ na ekpɔkpɔ vivia amewo nu enye ŋutasẽnuwɔwɔ siwo le eme ene.

Amewuwu nye wɔna bubu si kplɔa esiawo ɖo. Wodzea agbagba be woawɔ esiawo wòasɔ ɖe tsãtɔwo tɔ nu. Wowɔa xotunyawo ŋuti dramawo, siwo me amewo kuna le ŋutɔŋutɔ.

Le ɣetrɔwo me la, yivuwɔla vovovo siwo bla akpa le mɔ vovovo nu eye woxɔ yivuwɔwɔ ŋuti hehe vovovo la wɔa avu kple wo nɔewo. Amesiwo va hea ame kukuwo doa goe la doa awu abe nuvlowɔhawo nunɔla ene.

Dɔ si Wòwɔna Ðe Nukpɔlawo Dzi

Avuwɔwɔa kpɔkpɔ metia amehaawo o, eyata woƒoa avuwɔla siwo mele zazãm ɖe ewɔwɔ ŋu o kple atam kple ga gɔdɔ̃ewo. Amehaawo dona ɣli be: “Alekee ma wòle sisim le yia nu vɔvɔ̃nɔtɔe nenema? Alekee ma wòle yia dam abe ɖe ƒu mele lãme nɛ o ene? Nukatae [malɔ̃] aku o? Miƒoe ne wòazɔ ɖe yia dzi! Mina woada yi wo nɔewo, mina woanɔ akɔta ƒuƒlu atsɔ axɔ yiae!” Roma-dziɖuɖumegã Seneca ŋlɔ be le ɖiɖiɖemeɣi la, woɖea gbeƒã be: “Esi miele ɖiɖim ɖe eme la, woanɔ ame aɖewo wum bena miaƒe mo nagadzaka o!”

Mewɔ nuku o be Seneca lɔ̃ ɖe edzi be “esi yegbɔ va aƒeme la, yeva zu tagbɔsesẽtɔ kple nublanuimakpɔla ɖe edzi kura.” Nukpɔla ma ƒe nyameʋuʋua nye nya si ŋu wòle be míade ŋugble le vevie. Ðe egbegbe kamedefefe aɖewo ate ŋu akpɔ ŋusẽ ɖe wo kpɔlawo dzi nenema ke be woava zu ‘tagbɔsesẽtɔwo kple nublanuimakpɔlawo ɖe edzia’?

Ame aɖewo anya abui be tae nyo na yewo be yewogbɔ va aƒeme gɔ̃ hã. Esi nukpɔla aɖe gblɔ fefenya aɖe tso fiagã Domitian ŋu la, ena wohee le  eƒe zikpui dzi ɖaƒu gbe na avuwo. Nuvlowɔla siwo woawu ƒe anyimanɔmanɔ na Caligula ɖe gbe be woalé amehaawo dometɔ aɖewo na lãawo woaɖu. Eye esi mɔ̃ siwo wozãna le fefewɔƒea mewɔ dɔ alesi Claudius dii o la, eɖe gbe be woana mɔ̃a gbɔ kpɔlawo nawɔ yivu le fefewɔƒea.

Nukpɔlawo ƒe nugbɔmewɔwɔ hã he afɔkuwo kple ʋunyaʋunyawɔwɔ vɛ. Woka nya ta be fefewɔƒe aɖe si le Roma ƒe dzigbegome mu dze anyi eye ame akpe geɖe ku. Ʋunyaʋunya aɖe do mo ɖa esime fefe aɖe nɔ edzi yim le Pompeii le ƒe 59 M.Ŋ. me. Tacitus ka nya ta be nukpɔla siwo tso du si me fefewɔƒea le kple esiwo tso du aɖe si tsɔ ɖe egbɔ me la dome dzrewɔwɔ dze egɔme kple wo nɔewo dzudzu, kpe dada wo nɔewo kplɔe ɖo, hewu enu kple yi dada wo nɔewo. Wolã ame gbogbo aɖewo ƒe ŋutinuwo alo de abi wo ŋu vevie, eye wowu ame geɖe.

Nusɔsrɔ̃ si Dze Gaglãa

Wɔna aɖe si wowɔ nyitsɔ laa tsɔ ɖe nudzɔdzɔ aɖewo fia (Sangue e arena, “Ʋu Kple Ke”) le Roma Fefewɔƒea ɖe nusiwo sɔ kple egbegbe munera fia. Avuwɔwɔ kple nyitsuwo, kɔdada, dzokeke kple gasɔ hoʋlilawo ƒe anyidzedze dziŋɔwo, dzre dziŋɔ siwo dona mo ɖa le kamedefefewo me, kple nukpɔlawo dome ʋunyaʋunyawɔwɔ dziŋɔwoe nye nusiwo dze le videoa me kɔte. Emegbe woɖe Fefewɔƒea katã fia tsɔ wu videoa nui. Nukae nèsusu be anye vavalawo ƒe nyataƒoƒo? Wo dometɔ nenie asrɔ̃ nu tso eme?

Avuwɔwɔ kple avuwo, koklowo ƒe avuwɔwɔ, avuwɔwɔ kple nyitsuwo, kpakple kamedefefe dziŋɔwo bɔ le dukɔ aɖewo me egbea. Amewo tsɔa woƒe agbe dea afɔku me tsɔ doa dzidzɔe na amehawo le lɔri kple dzokeke hoʋiʋliwo me. Eye bu nusiwo woɖena fiana le televisionwo dzi gbesiagbe ŋu kpɔ. Numekuku siwo wowɔ le ɣetoɖoƒedukɔ aɖe me ɖee fia be le mama dedie nu la, kaka ɖevi siwo kpɔa television naxɔ ƒe ewo la, woakpɔ amewuwu 10,000 kple ŋutasẽnuwɔwɔ 100,000 teƒe.

Ƒe alafa etɔ̃lia me gbalẽŋlɔla, Tertullian, gblɔ be “dzidzɔ si nukpɔkpɔawo dona na ame mewɔ ɖeka kple mawusubɔsubɔ vavãtɔ kple toɖoɖo nyateƒe Mawu la le anukwareɖiɖi me o.” Ebu amesiwo dea wo kpɔƒe be wokpe asi ɖe amewulaawo ŋu. Ke egbea ya ɖe? Àte ŋu abia be, ‘Ðe ʋukɔkɔɖi, amewuwu, alo ŋutasẽnuwɔna kpɔkpɔ le television alo Internet dzi doa dzidzɔ nama?’ Ele vevie be míaɖo ŋku edzi be Psalmo 11:5 gblɔ be: “Yehowa doa ame dzɔdzɔe kpɔna, ke eƒe luʋɔ léa fu ame vɔ̃ɖi kple amesi lɔ̃a ŋutasẽnuwɔwɔ la.”

[Aɖaka si le axa 28]

Avuwɔwɔ be Woatsɔ “Alé Avu Ame Kukuwoe”

Ƒe alafa etɔ̃lia me gbalẽŋlɔla Tertullian gblɔ le yivuwɔwɔ ƒe dzɔtsoƒe ŋu be: “Blematɔwo susu be yewotoa avuwɔwɔ sia tɔgbe me naa kpekpeɖeŋu ame kukuwo, ne yewoɖe ŋutasẽnuwɔnaa fia le ŋkuʋuʋu mɔ nu tsɔ ɖiɖi eƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖinyenye dzi kpɔtɔe. Elabena le blema esi woxɔe se be ameʋu léa avu ame kukuwo ƒe luʋɔ ta la, wotsɔa aboyomewo alo kluvi siwo woƒle siwo ŋu ŋusẽ mele boo o saa vɔe le kuteƒewo. Emegbe edze abe anyo ne wosa vɔa le mɔ si ado dzidzɔ na amewo nu ale be eƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖinyenye magadze boo o ene. Eyata ne wona hehe amesiwo dzi woƒe asi su le aʋawɔnu siwo nɔ anyi ɣemaɣi zazã ŋu alesi woate ŋui—si ƒe taɖodzinue nye be woasrɔ̃ alesi woava wu woe!—vɔ la, wowua wo le kunuwɔŋkeke ɖoɖia dzi le yɔdowo to. Eyata amewuwu metsoa dzika ƒo na wo o. Munus la ƒe dzɔtsoƒee nye sia. Gake le ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe megbe la, vovototo aɖeke menɔ ŋutasẽnu si ŋu wobe yewotrɔ asi le wòanɔ ŋkuʋuʋu mɔ nu kple ŋutasesẽ ŋutɔŋutɔ dome o; elabena ɖiɖiɖemeŋkekea me dzidzɔkpɔkpɔ medea blibo o negbe ɖe lã wɔadãwo hã kpɔ amewo ƒe lã tsɔ ɖe nu mee. Wobua amewo tsɔtsɔ sa vɔe be woatsɔ alé avu ame kukuwoe kunuwɔwɔ me kɔnui.”

[Nɔnɔmetata si le axa 27]

Blema yivuwɔkuku kple akpaligbetakpɔnu

[Nɔnɔmetata siwo le axa 29]

Blema Kristotɔwo kpɔe be modzakaɖeɖe si me ŋutasẽnuwɔna le mesɔ o. Wò hã ɖe?

[Afi Si Míexɔ Mɔɖeɖe Tso]

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

[Nɔnɔmetata Tsoƒe si le axa 26]

Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona/Bridgeman Art Library