See what Crates said about Xenocrates himself.
Most people admire very basic things. Natural objects like stones, wood, figs, vines, olives. People who are more thoughtful admire living things — flocks and herds. Those who are even more refined focus on thinking beings. But not just because they can think. They admire them for their skills or clever inventions. Or maybe they just like owning many slaves.
But someone who honors the rational soul itself — simply because it can think and naturally seeks community — cares little for anything else. Above all, he works to keep his own soul sharp through constant practice of reason and fellowship. In this way, he works together with the one whose nature he shares: God.
See what Crates pronounceth concerning Xenocrates himself.
Those things which the common sort of people do admire, are most of them such things as are very general, and may be comprehended under things merely natural, or naturally affected and qualified: as stones, wood, figs, vines, olives. Those that be admired by them that are more moderate and restrained, are comprehended under things animated: as flocks and herds. Those that are yet more gentle and curious, their admiration is commonly confined to reasonable creatures only; not in general as they are reasonable, but as they are capable of art, or of some craft and subtile invention: or perchance barely to reasonable creatures; as they that delight in the possession of many slaves. But he that honours a reasonable soul in general, as it is reasonable and naturally sociable, doth little regard anything else: and above all things is careful to preserve his own, in the continual habit and exercise both of reason and sociableness: and thereby doth co-operate with him, of whose nature he doth also participate; God.