This guy http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dying_Gaul suffered a stab wound to his abdomen which did not puncture his lungs...with apparently little loss of blood. Assuming his intestines were perforated but other organs were spared and no major vessels were severed, couldn't ancient doctors clean his wound and stitch his intestines?
Granted it was a political sculpture, but why isn't he still fighting?? Why is he being such a wus?
Peritonitis is not to be taken lightly - particularly in a period before antibiotics. It was nearly always fatal. And injuries to the intestines - even before causing painful inflammation - is extremely painful. It is surprising - I have been surprised - how painful an assault on the intestines can be. Our poor Gaul was not being a wus. Don't judge until you, too, have experiences the pain that an insult to the intestines can bring.