Chapter VI.—The Ophites the Grand Source of
Heresy.
These doctrines, then, the Naasseni attempt to
establish, calling themselves Gnostics. But since the error is
many-headed and diversified, resembling, in truth, the hydra that we
read of in history; when, at one blow, we have struck off the heads of
this (delusion) by means of refutation, employing the wand of truth, we
shall entirely exterminate the monster. For neither do the
remaining heresies present much difference of aspect from this, having
a mutual connection through (the same) spirit of error. But
since, altering the words and the names of the serpent, they wish that
there should be many heads of the serpent, neither thus shall we fail
thoroughly to refute them as they desire.