Ukwephuza Kwakuyingozi!

IMIKHAYA emithathu, abantu abadala abayisikhombisa kanye nabantwana abayisithupha, yabaleka yazephula ukuze isindise ukuphila kwayo. Ngokusobala yayibuthene ndawonye ekhaya lothile, inethemba lokusinda esichothweni esisabisayo. Kodwa njengoba ukuduma kwamatshe awayo kwakuya kuthula, kwafika okunye okwesabisayo—ifu elimnyama lomlotha ohilayo. Manje kwakungasekho ukwenza ngokunye kodwa ukuba kubalekwe.

Owayehola kwakuyindoda ethile, mhlawumbe eyisisebenzi, eyayigijima nesikhwama somphako isigaxe ehlombe layo. Yayilandelwa abafana ababili, omunye eneminyaka ecishe ibe mine ubudala, omunye eneminyaka emihlanu ubudala, begijima bebambene ngezandla. Abanye babelandela—benovalo, bezabalaza, beqhuzuka, befuna ukusinda ngempela. Bazama ukuphefumula, kodwa esikhundleni sokudonsa umoya, badonsa umlotha oswakeme. Ngokulandelana, bonke abangu-13 bawa balala banganyakaza futhi ekugcineni bangcwatshwa umlotha owayo. Izinsalela zabo ezidabukisayo zasala zifihlekile kwaze kwaba yilapho abavubukuli bezivubukula eminyakeni ecishe ibengu-2 000 kamuva futhi bachaza imininingwane edabukisayo yezikhathi zabo zokugcina.

Lezisulu ezingu-13 zazingezimbalwa kuphela kwezilinganiselwa ku-16 000 ezabhubha edolobheni lasendulo lasePompeii eItaly, ngo-August 24, 79 C.E. Abaningi basinda ngokubaleka kulelidolobha lapho iNtaba iVesuvius idedela ukuqhuma kwayo kokuqala ngqá. Nokho, labo abephuza—ikakhulukazi abantu abacebile ababengafuni ukushiya amakhaya nezimpahla zabo—bangcwatshwa amadwala nomlotha bashona phansi ngamamitha ayisithupha.

Lokho okwenzeka ePompeii cishe eminyakeni engu-2 000 edlule kungase kube umlando wamandulo. Kodwa ngezindlela eziningi kufana nesimo esibhekene nalo lonke uhlanga lwesintu namuhla. Isibonakaliso sembulunga yonke, esibikezela okubi ngaphezu kokuduma kweNtaba iVesuvius, sinikeza isixwayiso sokuthi loluhlelo lwezwe lwamanje lubhekene nembubhiso eseduze. Ukuze sisinde, kufanele senze okuthile ngokushesha. Ukwephuza kuyingozi. Ukuthi lesosibonakaliso siyini nokuthi singasabela kanjani kuso ngokuhlakanipha kuyindaba yesihloko sethu esilandelayo.

 [Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 2]

Cover photo by National Park Service

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 3]

Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei