We can turn to Gregory of Nyssa’s “perpetual progress” (epektasis) for help in thinking about the perpetuity of pleasure, of desire escalating without exhaustion. As a part of his symbolic reading of Moses’ ascent up Mount Sinai in Exodus, Gregory puts forth the idea that with each new spiritual height the soul reaches in its yearning for God, the pleasure that vision affords amplifies the soul’s capacity to yearn more intensely and reach ever new heights: If nothing comes from above to hinder its upward thrust (for the nature of the Good attracts to itself those who look to it), the soul rises ever higher and will always make its flight yet higher—by its desire of the heavenly things straining ahead for what is…

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