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Tertullian - Against the Valentinians
Chapter XXXVII.--Other Turgid and Ridiculous Theories About the Origin of the Æons and Creation, Stated and Condemned.
Now listen to some other buffooneries [6924] of a master who is a great swell among them, [6925] and who has pronounced his dicta with an even priestly authority. They run thus: There comes, says he, before all things Pro-arche, the inconceivable, and indescribable, and nameless, which I for my own part call Monotes (Solitude). With this was associated another power, to which also I give the name of Henotes (Unity). Now, inasmuch as Monotes and Henotes--that is to say, Solitude and Union--were only one being, they produced, and yet not in the way of production, [6926] the intellectual, innascible, invisible beginning of all things, which human language [6927] has called Monad (Solitude). [6928] This has inherent in itself a consubstantial force, which it calls Unity [6929] These powers, accordingly, Solitude or Solitariness, and Unity, or Union, propagated all the other emanations of Æons. [6930] Wonderful distinction, to be sure! Whatever change Union and Unity may undergo, Solitariness and Solitude is profoundly supreme. Whatever designation you give the power, it is one and the same.