Nɔ ni Wɔkaseɔ Kɛjɛɔ Roma Yinɔsane Mli

“KƐ GBƆMƆ gbɛfaŋ ni mikɛ kooloi awuiyelɔi wuu yɛ, yɛ Efeso lɛ.” Mɛi komɛi susuɔ akɛ nakai wiemɔi ni aŋma yɛ 1 Korintobii 15:32 lɛ tsɔɔ akɛ abu bɔfo Paulo fɔ koni ekɛ kooloi ayanɔ yɛ Roma shwɛmɔhe lɛ. Kɛji efee nakai loo efeee nakai jio lɛ, no mli lɛ nɔmɔi ni anɔɔ ni atsɔɔ mli agboiɔ yɛ shwɛmɔhei lɛ ehe shi waa yɛ nakai beaŋ. Mɛni yinɔsane kɛɔ wɔ yɛ shwɛmɔhe lɛ kɛ nibii ni yaa nɔ yɛ jɛmɛ lɛ he?

Ákɛ Kristofoi lɛ, wɔmiisumɔ ni wɔtsɔse wɔhenilee tamɔ bɔ ni Yehowa susuɔ nii ahe ehaa, nɔ ni baanyɛ aye abua wɔ koni wɔkpɛ wɔyiŋ yɛ nɔ ni kɔɔ ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ beaŋ hiɛtserɛjiemɔ he lɛ he. Ákɛ nɔkwɛmɔnɔ lɛ, susumɔ bɔ ni Nyɔŋmɔ susuɔ awuiyeli he ehaa, ni jeɔ kpo yɛ wiemɔi nɛɛ amli lɛ he okwɛ, akɛ: “Ohiɛ akakɔ̃ yiwalɔ ko nɔ, ni kaakɔ egbɛ̀i lɛ amli eko eko.” (Abɛi 3:31) Nakai ŋaawoo lɛ yɛ kɛha mra be mli Kristofoi lɛ koni ekudɔ amɛ yɛ be mli ni mɛi babaoo ni ebɔle amɛ lɛ ená Roma akaŋshilɔi lɛ ahe miishɛɛ waa lɛ. Yɛ be mli ni wɔsusuɔ nɔ ni ba yɛ nifeemɔi ni tamɔ  nɛkɛ shishi lɛ he lɛ, nyɛhaa wɔkwɛa nikasemɔ ni mli kã shi faŋŋ ni yɔɔ mli kɛha Kristofoi ni yɔɔ ŋmɛnɛ lɛ.

Mɛi enyɔ ni gbeɔ mɛi, ní hiɛ tawuu nii kɛ amɛhe ekpe yɛ Roma shwɛmɔhe ko. Asafo ni feɔ basabasa lɛ kɛ bolɔmɔ wo mɔ ni amɛfiɔ esɛɛ lɛ hewalɛ beni akɛ klante lɛ ba tsɛŋ ni ahiɛ lɛ klɛŋklɛŋ kwraa lɛ. Eji nɔmɔ ni yɔɔ hiɛdɔɔ. Etsɛɛɛ, kɛkɛ lɛ, mɔ ni epila ni enyɛɛɛ etsa nɔmɔ lɛ nɔ dɔŋŋ lɛ ŋmɛɛɔ etawuu nibii lɛ ahe eshwieɔ shi ni ekulaa shi, ni ekɛtsɔɔ akɛ ekpɛlɛ akɛ aye enɔ kunim, ni no hewɔ lɛ, eebi ni aná lɛ mɔbɔ. Bolɔmɔ lɛ naa bawa waa. Asafoi lɛ ekomɛi bolɔ kɛha mɔbɔnalɛ, mɛi krokomɛi hu bolɔ koni agbele lɛ. Mɔ fɛɛ mɔ hiŋmɛi yɛ maŋtsɛ lɛ nɔ. Ákɛ mɔ ni miibo nɔ ni mɛi babaoo taoɔ lɛ toi lɛ, ebaanyɛ eha tabilɔ ni aye enɔ kunim lɛ aye ehe loo ebaanyɛ efee okadi ni ekɛfã ni agbele lɛ.

Romabii lɛ yɛ shwɛmɔhei ni ashwieɔ lá shi yɛ mli lɛ he miishɛɛ. Ekolɛ, ebaafee bo naakpɛɛ akɛ ooole akɛ shishijee lɛ, awuɔ nakai tai lɛ yɛ gbɔmɛi wuji ayarafeemɔi ashishi. Aheɔ ayeɔ akɛ nɛkɛ akaŋshii nɛɛ ná eshishifã kɛjɛ adesa ni akɛshãa afɔle mli yɛ Oscanbii loo Samnbii, ni amrɔ nɛɛ amɛyɔɔ Italy teŋgbɛ lɛ ateŋ. Ashãa afɔlei lɛ koni akpata gbohii lɛ amumɔi lɛ. Atsɛɔ nakai nɔmɔ lɛ akɛ munus, loo “nikeenii” (epii ji, munera). Klɛŋklɛŋ shwɛmɔi ni aŋma afɔ̃ shi ni afee yɛ Roma lɛ ba nɔ yɛ afi 264 D.Ŋ.B., beni mɛi ekpaa ni gbeɔ mɛi kɛ amɛhe wo nɔmɔ mli yɛ jarayelihe ni ahɔɔ tsinai yɛ jɛmɛ lɛ. Mɛi enyɔ ni feɔ kui 22 lɛ, nɔ yɛ Marcus Aemilius Lepidus yarafeemɔ shishi. Yɛ Publius Licinius yarafeemɔ shishi lɛ, mɛi enyɔ ni feɔ kui 60 kɛ amɛhe nɔ. Yɛ afi 65 D.Ŋ.B. lɛ, Julius Caesar kɛ mɛi enyɔ ni yɔɔ kui 320 mli lɛ tee shwɛmɔhe lɛ.

Yinɔsaneŋmalɔ Keith Hopkins kɛɛ akɛ: “Gbɔmɛi wuji ayarafeemɔ ji maŋkwramɔŋ nifeemɔi, ni yarafeemɔ shishi shwɛmɔi hiɛ maŋkwramɔŋ shishinumɔ . . . yɛ le ni ale amɛ kɛ amɛ oshikifɔlɔi lɛ hewɔ. Yɛ anɔkwale mli lɛ, nɔ ni wo gbɛi ni mɛi ni gbeɔ mɛi nifeemɔi nɛɛ ná lɛ mli hewalɛ titri ji maŋkwramɔŋ akaŋshii ni kã gbɔmɛi wuji ni tao hiɛnyam lɛ ateŋ lɛ.” Beni shɛɔ Augustus (afi 27 D.Ŋ.B. kɛyashi afi 14 Ŋ.B.) nɔyeli beaŋ lɛ, no mli munera lɛ ebatsɔ nikeenii babaoo—kɛha asafoi babaoo hiɛtserɛjiemɔ—ni nɔyeli lɛ mli onukpai ni yɔɔ nii lɛ kɛha koni akɛtiu maŋkwramɔŋ nitsumɔi asɛɛ.

Mɛi ni kɛ Amɛhe Wo Mli kɛ Tsɔsemɔ

Ekolɛ, obaabi akɛ, ‘Namɛi ji mɛi ni gbeɔ mɛi lɛ?’ Ojogbaŋŋ, amɛbaanyɛ amɛfee nyɔji, awuiyelɔi ni abu amɛ gbele fɔ, ta mli gboklɛfoi, loo mɛi ni eye amɛhe ni miishɛɛ loo gbɛi hemɔ he gbɛkpamɔ kɛ ninamɔ egbala amɛ. Atsɔse amɛ fɛɛ yɛ skul ni tamɔ tsuŋwoohe. Wolo ni ji Giochi e spettacoli (Shwɛmɔi kɛ Nikwɛmɔi) lɛ bɔ amaniɛ akɛ “be fɛɛ be lɛ bulɔi lɛ kɛ tsɔsemɔ ni yɔɔ keketee kɛ mlai ni mli wa fe fɛɛ, kɛ titri lɛ toigbalamɔ ni naa wa waa lɛ baa mɛi ni gbeɔ mɛi lɛ anɔ . . . Bei pii lɛ, nɛkɛ toigbalamɔ nɛɛ haa mɔ ni gbeɔ ehe, ekɛ ehe woɔ atuatsemɔ kɛ basabasafeemɔ mli.” Roma skul wulu ni fe fɛɛ kɛha mɛi ni gbeɔ mɛi lɛ hiɛ tsũi bibii, kɛ hoo lɛ, ebaawo gboklɛfoi akpe. Mɔ fɛɛ mɔ he esa jogbaŋŋ yɛ nɔ ko feemɔ mli. Mɛi komɛi kɛ tawuu nii, tsɛŋ, kɛ klante nɔɔ, ni mɛi krokomɛi hu kɛ yáa kɛ akpɔlɔ ni hiɛ naabu etɛ nɔɔ. Shi atee nɔ lolo atsɔse mɛi krokomɛi koni amɛkɛ kooloi awuiyelɔi akpe yɛ shwɛmɔhe nifeemɔ kroko ni ehe gbɛi lɛ mli, ni ji gbɔbimɔ. Ani no mli lɛ, Paulo miigbala jwɛŋmɔ kɛmiiya nifeemɔ ko ni tamɔ nakai pɛpɛɛpɛ lɛ nɔ?

Mɛi ni toɔ shwɛmɔi ni tamɔ nakai lɛ ahe gbɛjianɔ lɛ nyɛɔ amɛyatao yelikɛbuamɔ kɛjɛɔ nitsumɔtsɛmɛi adɛŋ, amɛheɔ gbɔmɛi ni amɛye afii 17 loo afii 18 ni amɛtsɔseɔ amɛ akɛ mɛi ni gbeɔ mɛi. No mli lɛ, adesai awala ni ayeɔ he jara lɛ ji nitsumɔ ni haa anáa nii waa. Shwɛmɔ mli nifeemɔ lɛ ekome  ni sa kadimɔ waa ji nɔ ni Trajan to he gbɛjianɔ ní akɛye asraafoi akunimyeli he gbi jurɔ lɛ, ni ekɛ mɛi ni gbeɔ mɛi 10,000 kɛ kooloi 11,000 tee nifeemɔ lɛ shishi.

Gbi Krɛdɛɛ ko yɛ Shwɛmɔ He Lɛ

Shwɛmɔi ni yaa nɔ leebi leebi yɛ shwɛmɔhe lɛ ji gbɔbimɔ. Anyɛɔ akɛ kooloi awuiyelɔi srɔtoi fɛɛ baa shwɛmɔhe lɛ yɛ nɔnyɛɛ naa. Bei pii lɛ, nikwɛlɔi lɛ nyaa tsina kɛ oshishibirishi nɔmɔ he waa. Bei pii lɛ, afimɔɔ kooloi enyɔ lɛ yɛ he kome ni amɛnɔɔ kɛyashiɔ ekome gboɔ, kɛkɛ lɛ, gbɔbilɔ ko egbe nɔ ni hiɛ kã lɛ. Ahaa jatai kɛ kootsɛi, loo shuɔi kɛ oshishibirishi nɔɔ yɛ shwɛmɔi krokomɛi ni ehe gbɛi lɛ mli. Gbɔbilɔi lɛ jieɔ amɛhesaai lɛ akpo kɛtsɔ gbe ni amɛgbeɔ kooloi ni akɛ amɛ jɛ maji srɔtoi ni yɔɔ maŋtsɛyeli lɛ mli lɛ nɔ, ni ekɔɔɔ he eko bɔ ni amɛjara ji ehã, kɛji eji—kootsɛi, shwuɔ koŋkometsɛmɛi, nuŋshwuɔ, dugumai, odigbɛlɛŋ, yomai, klaji, batafo, kɛ adowa po.

Nibii ni yaa nɔ yɛ jɛmɛ lɛ haaa amɛhiɛ akpa gbɔbimɔ nɔ. Akɛ tɛsaai, bukoi, kɛ tsei tsu nii kɛdamɔ shi ha kooi. Yɛ shwɛmɔhei komɛi lɛ, kooloi lɛ jeɔ kpo tamɔ ŋkunyaa nifeemɔ, ni ajieɔ amɛ kɛjɛɔ nɔ ko ni nyɛɔ ewoɔ ehe nɔ kɛjɛɔ shikpɔŋ ni eyaa ŋwɛi lɛ nɔ. Kooloo lɛ nifeemɔ ni anyɛɛɛ atsɔɔ bɔ ni ebaaji eha lɛ haa anáa miishɛɛ, shi nɔ ni haa anyaa gbɔbimɔ he waa titri lɛ ji awuiyeli nifeemɔ ni yɔɔ mli lɛ.

Nɔ ni nyiɛ gbɛjianɔtoo lɛ sɛɛ ji mɛi agbee. Abɔɔ mɔdɛŋ koni aha enɛ afee tamɔ bɔ ni eyɔɔ lɛ pɛpɛɛpɛ. Afeɔ drama ni shwɛlɔi ni yɔɔ mli lɛ gboiɔ diɛŋtsɛ.

Kɛ́ eshɛ shwane lɛ, mɛi ni gbeɔ mɛi akui srɔtoi ni amɛwula kɛ mɔgbee nibii, ni amɛná tsɔsemɔ krɛdɛɛ ko lɛ kɛ amɛhe nɔɔ. Amɛteŋ mɛi komɛi ni bawoleɔ gbohii lɛ kɛyaa lɛ saa amɛhe ákɛ gbohii anyɔŋmɔ.

Hewalɛ ni Ená yɛ Nikwɛlɔi Anɔ

Akɔnɔ fɔŋ ni asafo babaoo lɛ yɔɔ kɛha nɔmɔ lɛ naa wa, no hewɔ lɛ akɛ kpelebii kɛ dade kɛ enaa kpãa yiɔ mɛi ni shashaoɔ shi lɛ. Mɛi ni ebua amɛhe naa lɛ bolɔɔ akɛ: “Mɛni hewɔ ekɛ klante lɛ kpeɔ tamɔ feetɔ ko feɔ enii nɛɛ? Mɛni hewɔ ebaa lɛ blɛoo nɛkɛ? Mɛni hewɔ [ejɛɛɛ esuɔmɔ mli] egbooo lɛ? Atswa lɛ kpãa ni no akanya lɛ ni ekɛ ehe awo nɔmɔ lɛ mli! Nyɛhaa amɛmamɔa amɛhe atswɛrɛ, be mli ni amɛtsitsi kamɔ shi efolo ni amɛkɛkpeeɔ klante naa lɛ!” Roma maŋnɔkwɛlɔ Seneca ŋma akɛ, akɛ adafitswaa ko ba beni ajɔɔ he lɛ akɛ: “Abaagbe mɛi fioo komɛi, bɔni afee ni anyɛ aná nɔ ko ni akɛbaajie hiɛtserɛ yɛ hejɔɔmɔ be lɛ mli!”

Ebɛ naakpɛɛ akɛ, Seneca kpɛlɛ nɔ akɛ eku esɛɛ etee shia ni “eyitsoŋ ewa waa ni enaaa mɔ ko mɔbɔ.” Esa akɛ wɔkɛ hiɛdɔɔ asusu nakai nikwɛlɔ lɛ anɔkwa wiemɔi lɛ ahe jogbaŋŋ. Ani ebaanyɛ eba akɛ mɛi komɛi ni yakwɛɔ ŋmɛnɛŋmɛnɛ beaŋ shwɛmɔi lɛ baanu he nakai nɔŋŋ, ni ebaaha ‘amɛyitsoŋ awa waa ni amɛnaŋ mɔ ko mɔbɔ’?

Ekolɛ, mɛi komɛi baakɛɛ akɛ amɛhe eba nii akɛ amɛnyɛ amɛku amɛsɛɛ kɛba shia. Beni nikwɛlɔ ko  ye Domitian he fɛo lɛ, maŋtsɛ lɛ ha agbala lɛ kɛjɛ he ni eta lɛ ni ashɛ lɛ afɔ̃ aha gbeei lɛ. Akɛni awuiyelɔi bɛ ni abaagbe amɛ hewɔ lɛ, eha Caligula fã akɛ amɔ asafo kuu lɛ ateŋ mɛi fã ko ni ashɛrɛ amɛ ashwie aha kooloi awuiyelɔi lɛ. Ni beni shwɛmɔhe nitsulɔi lɛ ateŋ mɔ ko tsuuu enii bɔ ni Claudius taoɔ lɛ, efã koni aha mɔ ni haaa tsɔnei lɛ atsu nii jogbaŋŋ lɛ anɔ yɛ shwɛmɔhe lɛ.

Nikwɛmɔ he sɛkɛyeli hu nyɛɔ ekɛ oshara kɛ béi baa. Abɔ amaniɛ akɛ, shwɛmɔhe ko ni yɔɔ Roma kooyigbɛ kumɔ eshwie shi, ni mɛi akpei abɔ gboi. Gidigidifeemɔ ko te shi yɛ be mli ni akwɛɔ shwɛmɔ ko yɛ Pompeii yɛ afi 59 Ŋ.B. Tacitus bɔ amaniɛ akɛ béi ko ní te shi yɛ gbɔmɛi akuu ko ni yɔɔ maŋ ko nɔ kɛ amɛ akaŋshilɔi ni yɔɔ maŋ ko ni bɛŋkɛ amɛ lɛ mli lɛ teŋ lɛ je shishi beni amɛje shishi amɛjɛ amɛhe, no sɛɛ lɛ amɛfɔfɔɔ tɛi amɛtswia amɛhe, ni yɛ naagbee mli lɛ, amɛkɛ klantei tsu nii. Amɛbamɔ mɛi pii loo amɛpila amɛ, ni amɛgbe mɛi babaoo.

Nikasemɔ ni Mli Kã Shi Faŋŋ

Nyɛsɛɛ nɛɛ nibii ni ajieɔ atsɔɔ (Sangue e arena, “Lá kɛ Shia”) yɛ Colosseum yɛ Rome lɛ kaiɔ wɔ nɔ ko ni kɛ munera je amɛhe. Nɔ ni wɔkadiɔ ji akɛ, ejie tsina nɔmɔ, abɔtirifɔ̃ɔ, kar kɛ moto mli osharai, béi ni fe nine ni akaŋshilɔi béɔ yɛ shwɛmɔi amli, kɛ nɔmɔ ni nikwɛlɔi lɛ nɔɔ lɛ he vidio. Ajɛ ŋwɛi asha nɔ ni tee nɔ yɛ Colosseum lɛ. Mɛni osusuɔ akɛ mɛi ni baasara jɛmɛ lɛ baakɛɛ? Mɛi enyiɛ baakase nii?

Ŋmɛnɛ, gbeei anɔmɔ, wuɔi anɔmɔ, tsinai anɔmɔ, kɛ hiɛtserɛjiemɔ ni basabasafeemɔ yɔɔ mli ehe shi yɛ shikpɔji komɛi anɔ. Gbɔmɛi kɛ amɛwala woɔ oshara mli ni amɛkɛshɛjeɔ asafo babaoo ko mii yɛ moto foidamɔ he akaŋshii mli. Ni susumɔ daa gbi tɛlivishiŋ nɔ nifeemɔi ahe okwɛ. Niiamlipɛimɔ ko ni afee yɛ wuoyigbɛ maji lɛ eko nɔ lɛ tsɔɔ mli akɛ, kɛ́ aja mli lɛ, kɛyashi be mli ni gbekɛ ni kwɛɔ TV lɛ aaaye afii nyɔŋma lɛ, no mli lɛ enyɛ ekwɛ gbɔmɔgbee 10,000 kɛ yiwaa nifeemɔi 100,000.

Tertullian, ni eji niŋmalɔ yɛ afii ohai etɛ lɛ mli lɛ kɛɛ akɛ, miishɛɛ ni anáa yɛ nikwɛmɔi nɛɛ amli lɛ “kɛ anɔkwa jamɔ kɛ anɔkwa toiboo ni afeɔ ahaa anɔkwa Nyɔŋmɔ lɛ kpãaa gbee.” Ebu mɛi ni tee heei nɛɛ akɛ amɛ ni fiɔ mɛi ni gbeɔ mɛi nɛɛ anifeemɔ lɛ sɛɛ. Ni ŋmɛnɛ hu? Mɔ ko baanyɛ abi akɛ, ‘Ani mikɛ nifeemɔ ni láshishwiemɔ, gbele, loo awuiyeli yɛ tɛlivishiŋ nɔ loo yɛ Internet lɛ nɔ lɛ shɛjeɔ mimii?’ Esa akɛ wɔkai akɛ Lala 11:5 kɛɔ akɛ: “Yehowa lɛ, jalɔ moŋ ekaa; shi mɔ fɔŋ kɛ mɔ ni sumɔɔ yiwalɛ lɛ, esusuma nyɛ̃ɔ amɛ.”

[Akrabatsa ni yɔɔ baafa 28]

Nɔmɔ ní “Akɛkpataa Gbohii Lɛ”

Tertullian, ni eji niŋmalɔ yɛ afii ohai etɛ lɛ mli lɛ wie yɛ mɔ ni gbeɔ mɔ jɛɛhe lɛ he akɛ: “Blemabii lɛ susu akɛ kɛtsɔ shwɛmɔ nɛɛ nɔ lɛ, amɛkɛ sɔɔmɔ haa gbonyo lɛ, yɛ be mli ni amɛjɛ ŋaa mli amɛfee yiwalɛ nii lɛ sɛɛ. Yɛ blema lɛ, hemɔkɛyeli ni ayɔɔ ákɛ akɛ adesa lá baakpata gbohii asusumai hewɔ lɛ, amɛkɛ nomŋɔɔ bii loo tsuji ni bɛ jogbaŋŋ ni amɛheɔ lɛ tsuɔ nii yɛ yarafeemɔi amli amɛkɛshãa afɔle. Sɛɛ mli lɛ, amɛna akɛ esa akɛ amɛtsake amɛyiwalɛ nifeemɔ lɛ hiɛ kɛtsɔ miishɛɛ ni amɛaaha efee lɛ nɔ. No hewɔ lɛ, yɛ be mli ni mɔ ko ená tsɔsemɔ yɛ nɔmɔ ni yɔɔ jɛmɛ yɛ nakai beaŋ lɛ he sɛɛ lɛ—no mli lɛ, amɛtsɔsemɔ lɛ ji ni amɛkase bɔ ni afeɔ ni agbeɔ mɔ!—kɛkɛ lɛ agbeɔ amɛ yɛ yarafeemɔ ko ni ato be aha lɛ shishi yɛ fuuhei lɛ mli. No hewɔ lɛ, gbɔmɛi ni yɔɔ nakai beaŋ lɛ ná gbɔmɔgbee he miishɛɛ. Enɛ mli munus jɛ kɛba. Yɛ be ko sɛɛ lɛ, hiɛyaa ni amɛná yɛ kusum mli tsakemɔ mli kɛ yiwalɛ ni amɛjie lɛ kpo lɛ fɛɛ yadamɔ ŋɛlɛ kome nɔ; ejaakɛ anaŋ miishɛɛ jogbaŋŋ yɛ gbijurɔyeli lɛ mli, akɛ ja ahã kooloi awuiyelɔi hu baatserɛ gbɔmɛi amli bibiibii. Abu nɔ ni akɛkpataa gbohii lɛ akɛ eji yarafeemɔ mli kusum nifeemɔ.”

[Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 27]

Blema mɛi ni gbeɔ mɛi afai kɛ nane hebuu dade

[Mfonirii ni yɔɔ baafa 29]

Kristofoi ni hi shi yɛ blema lɛ bu hiɛtserɛjiemɔ ni basabasafeemɔ yɔɔ mli lɛ akɛ nɔ ni esaaa. Ani bo hu ofeɔ nakai?

[He ni Sane lɛ Jɛ]

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

[He ni Mfoniri ni yɔɔ baafa 26 lɛ Jɛ]

Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona/Bridgeman Art Library