<P> In the Apology, Socrates clearly presents his disagreement with those who think that the eudaimon life is the life of honour or pleasure, when he chastises the Athenians for caring more for riches and honour than the state of their souls . </P> <P> Good Sir, you are an Athenian, a citizen of the greatest city with the greatest reputation for both wisdom and power; are you not ashamed of your eagerness to possess as much wealth, reputation, and honors as possible, while you do not care for nor give thought to wisdom or truth or the best possible state of your soul (29e). </P> <P>... it does not seem like human nature for me to have neglected all my own affairs and to have tolerated this neglect for so many years while I was always concerned with you, approaching each one of you like a father or an elder brother to persuade you to care for virtue . (31a--b; italics added) </P> <P> It emerges a bit further on that this concern for one's soul, that one's soul might be in the best possible state, amounts to acquiring moral virtue . So Socrates' point that the Athenians should care for their souls means that they should care for their virtue, rather than pursuing honour or riches . Virtues are states of the soul . When a soul has been properly cared for and perfected it possesses the virtues . Moreover, according to Socrates, this state of the soul, moral virtue, is the most important good . The health of the soul is incomparably more important for eudaimonia than (e.g.) wealth and political power . Someone with a virtuous soul is better off than someone who is wealthy and honoured but whose soul is corrupted by unjust actions . This view is confirmed in the Crito, where Socrates gets Crito to agree that the perfection of the soul, virtue, is the most important good: </P>

Where does the human desire for happiness come from