κρεῖττον τὸ μὴ ζῆν ἐστιν ἢ ζῆν ἀθλίως → death is better than a life of misery, it is better not to live at all than to live in misery
(see also διοικέω): administer, manage, regulate, carry on
regere, to rule, govern, 8.21.1.
