And if life really is that bad - (speaking of some kind of zombie/damnation alley bad here...)
suicide is still an option which had less stigma in greco-roman times.

Thomas, you know that I really like you, but this statement really hits home for me. At the age of 66, my father committed suicide by hanging himself in our garage.

From personal experience, I would have to disagree. Suicide is never an option - even if only to spare those that you leave behind.