Discourses, "On Constancy or Firmness" (§7)

“What then, ought we to publish these things to all men? No, but we ought to accommodate ourselves to the ignorant and to say: “This man recommends to me that which he thinks good for himself. I excuse him.” For Socrates also excused the jailer who had the charge of him in prison and was weeping when Socrates was going to drink the poison, and said, “How generously he laments over us.” Does he then say to the jailer that for this reason we have sent away the women? No, but he says it to his friends who were able to hear (understand) it; and he treats the jailer as a child.”