St Gregory of Nyssa - Just as the end of life is the beginning of death...

Just as the end of life is the beginning of death, so also stopping in the race of virtue marks the beginning of the race of evil.

Thus our statement that grasping perfection with reference to virtue is impossible was not false, for it has been pointed out that what is marked off by boundaries is not virtue.

I said that it is also impossible for those who pursue the life of virtue to attain perfection. The meaning of this statement will be explained.

St Gregory of Nyssa