τὸ μὴ γὰρ εἶναι κρεῖσσον ἢ τὸ ζῆν κακῶς → for it is better not to exist than to live in misery
from an unused root (of the same form) meaning to bleach, i.e. (intransitive) be white; probably cotton (of some sort): fine (white) linen.
