A Guard Of Knowledge

Ὁ γνώσεως ἐφαψάμενος και τὴν ἀπ' αὐτης καρπούμενος ἡδονὴν οὐκέτι τῷ τῆς κενοδοξίας πεισθήσεται δαίμονι, πάσας αὐτῷ τὰς ἡδονὰς τοῦ κόσμου προσάγοντι· τί γὰρ ἂν καὶ ὑπόσχοιτο μεῖζον πνευματικῆς θεωρίας; Ἐν ὅσῳ δέ ἐσμεν γνώσεως ἄγευστοι, τὴν πρακτικὴν προθύμως κατεργαζώμεθα, τὸν σκοπὸν ἡμῶν δεικνύντες Θεῷ ὅτι πάντα πράττομεν τῆς αὐτοῦ γνώσεως ἕνεκεν. Εὐάγριος ὁ Ποντικός, Ὁ Πρακτικός Source: Migne PG 40.1228a

He who has seized on knowledge and harvested the delight it brings will no longer be persuaded by the demon of vainglory which sets before him all the pleasures of the world. For what could it offer to him which is greater than spiritual contemplation? But inasmuch as we have not tasted knowledge, we should eagerly attend to ascetic deeds, showing our intent to God, that everything we do is for the knowledge of Him. Evagrius Ponticus, The Praktikos