I haven't heard that. The phrase is familiar in Italian, and there's no doubt that, in the Italian rendition, "die" means "snuff it!"

"See Naples and get robbed if you're not careful" would be better advice! It is an amazing place, full of both good and bad. You can get damn good pizza there, the archaeological museum is stunning and you can see San Gennaro's bones sticking out of a big urn in the duomo. He's the patron saint of Napoli, but unfortunately he lost his head in the Solfatara volcano (which you can just walk right into) at Pozzuoli, the childhood home town of Sophia Loren.

I wouldn't say make the area the last place you see before you die, but go before you die. It's fantastic, and you've got The Amalfi Coast just round the corner. Pompei, Herculaneum, Sorrento, Vesuvius...YES!