Note 1 — BOOK VI SIMON MAGUS, VALENTINUS, AND THEIR FOLLOWERS
Francis Legge translation
He of course refers to the Ophites, whence it is clear that he included Justinus among them. His language may imply that all these serpent-worshipping sects had been in existence some time before, but did not begin to write their doctrines until they had taken on a veneer of Christianity. This is very probable, but there is not as yet any convincing proof that this was the case.