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Suicide in Athens
Continuing on the subject of the acceptance of suicide in olden times, Alvarez relates how in classical Athens and some of the Greek colonies, the magistrates kept a supply of hemlock and were rather liberal in its administration for those who wished to shuffle off their mortal coil.
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Whoever no longer wishes to live shall state his reasons in the Senate, and after having received permission shall abandon life. If your existence is hateful to you, die; if you are overwhelmed by fate, drink the hemlock. If you are bowed with grief, abandon life. Let the unhappy man recount his misfortune, let the magistrate supply him with the remedy, and his wretchedness will come to an end.
-- Libanius (ca. 314-394) quoted by Alvarez
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I do not suppose this hemlock was available to laborers and slaves, but Alvarez does not say. They probably had to resort to homemade remedies. But I wonder about the women, the upper-class women.
_ _ _
Whoever no longer wishes to live shall state his reasons in the Senate, and after having received permission shall abandon life. If your existence is hateful to you, die; if you are overwhelmed by fate, drink the hemlock. If you are bowed with grief, abandon life. Let the unhappy man recount his misfortune, let the magistrate supply him with the remedy, and his wretchedness will come to an end.
-- Libanius (ca. 314-394) quoted by Alvarez
_ _ _
I do not suppose this hemlock was available to laborers and slaves, but Alvarez does not say. They probably had to resort to homemade remedies. But I wonder about the women, the upper-class women.