Let's take a closer look at the specific language of AV:
humana vero gens in hoc exitus ibit: choicae et materialis notae totum in interitum quia omnis caro foenum. et anima mortalis apud illos nisi quae salutem fide invenerit. iustorum animae, id est nostrae, ad Demiurgum in medietatis receptacula transmittentur--agimus gratias, contenti erimus cum deo nostro deputaci qua census animalis. nihil in Pleromacis palatium admittitur nisi spiritale examen Valentini. [2] illic itaque primo despoliantur homines ipsi, id est interiores; despoliare est autem deponere animas quibus induti videbantur, easque Demiurgo suo reddent quas ab eo averterant. ipsi autem spiritus in totum fient intellectuales neque detentui neque conspectui obnoxii, atque ita invisibiliter in Pleroma recipiuntur. furtim si ita est. [3] quid deinde? angelis distribuentur satellitibus Soteris. in filios putas? non. sed in adparatores? ni istud quidem. sed in imagines? utinam vel hoc. in quid ergo si non pudet dicere? in sponsas! tunc illi sabinas raptas inter se de matrimoniis ludent. haec erat spiritalium merces, hoc praemium credendi. [4] fabulae tales utiles ut Marcus aut Gaius in hac carne barbatus et in hac anima severus maritus pater avus proavus--certe quod sufficit masculus--in nyphone Pleromatis ab angelo. . . tacendo iam dixi; et forsitan parias aliquem novissimum Aeonem. his nuptiis recte deducendis pro face et flammeo tunc credo ille ignis arcanus erumpet et universam substantiam depopulatus ipse quoque decineratis omnibus in nihilum finietur et nulla iam fabula. [5] sed ne ego temerarius qui tantum sacramentum etiam inludendo prodiderim. verendum mihi est ne Achamoth quae se nec filio agnitam voluit insaniet, ne Theletus irascatur, ne Fortunata acerbetur. et tamen homo sum Demiurgi; illuc habeo devertere ubi post excessum omnino non obnubitur, ubi superindui potius quam despoliari, ubi etsi despolior sexui meo, deputor angelis non angelus non angela; nemo mihi quicquam faciet quem nec tunc masculum inveniet.
1. the first thing I notice is that the name 'Valentinus' appears in the context of 'palace':
nihil in Pleromacis palatium admittitur nisi spiritale examen Valentini
Into the palace of the Pleroma nothing of the animal nature is admitted-nothing but the spiritual swarm of Valentinus
2. the naked with naked reference:
illic itaque primo despoliantur homines ipsi, id est interiores; despoliare est autem deponere animas quibus induti videbantur,
These men then, men destined to enter the Pleroma, are unclothed first; to be unclothed means to put aside the souls with which
they are only apparently endowed. They return to the Demiurge these souls which they received from him.[Riley]
There, then, the first process is the despoiling of men themselves, that is, men within the Pleroma. Now this despoiling consists of the putting off of the souls in which they appear to be clothed, which they will give back to their Demiurge as they had obtained them from him. [Holmes]
Là donc les hommes eux-mêmes, c'est-à-dire les hommes intérieurs, commencent par se dépouiller. Se dépouiller, c'est déposer les ames dont ils paraissaient revêtus, et ils rendront à leur Démiurgue celles qu'ils avaient tenues éloignées de lui [Genoude]
Dort werden die Menschen selber zunächst entkleidet, d. h. innerlich. Sich entkleiden heisst, die Seelen, womit sie bekleidet zu sein schienen, ablegen; sie werden dieselben dem Demiurgen zurückgeben, da sie sie ihm abwendig gemacht hatten [Kellner]
3. this marriage rite is 'secret'
furtim = like a thief
4. the naked men are given to the angels as brides.
angelis distribuentur satellitibus Soteris. in filios putas? non. sed in adparatores? ni istud quidem. sed in imagines? utinam vel hoc. in quid ergo si non pudet dicere? in sponsas!
First the 'men' appear at the beginning - homines - who are 'given to the angels' - angelis distribuentur - as 'wives' sponsas. Thus wherever the term 'female' 'bride' etc are used what are being described are not females according to the flesh but 'men' who have taken on the role of brides.
5. the bridal chamber imagery leads to the sexual imagery. The naked men who play the role of 'bride' will be raped presumably by the Valentinian mystagogues. But notice also 'Mark' is suddenly introduced as the originator of these sexualized 'stories' at the core of the mystery rites:
tunc illi sabinas raptas inter se de matrimoniis ludent. haec erat spiritalium merces, hoc praemium credendi. [4] fabulae tales utiles ut Marcus in nyphone Pleromatis ab angelo. . . tacendo iam dixi
For marriages they will play "Rape the Sabines" among themselves. This is the reward for being "spirit-like"; this is the prize for believing. These are proper little stories; for example, you, Marcus ... then, in this harem of a Pleroma, by some angel you might be. . . ; by my silence I have already said it. Anyway perhaps you might give birth to some new aeon.[Riley]
Then will they end their Sabine rapes with the sanction of wedlock. This will be the guerdon of the spiritual, this the recompense of their faith! Such fables have their use. Although but Marcus ... you may perhaps in the bridal-chamber of the Pleroma-I have already said so tacitly -even become the parent by an angel of some Aeon of high numerical rank
Clearly 'Mark' presides over a 'secret' mystery rite where naked men become brides of the aeons but are really being duped into being raped by men.
6. 'Mark clearly existed in the past, the originator of the mysteries. The mysteries continue to be practiced by 'Gaius' - presumably Gaius of Rome.
aut Gaius in hac carne barbatus et in hac anima severus maritus pater avus proavus--certe quod sufficit masculus
The point of stressing Gaius's masculinity (his beard - something which is well known in contemporary Christianity) is that he is clearly unlikely the 'feminine' initiates (eunuchs? see above). Again the naked men are being raped by the leaders of the Roman Church (identified as 'Valentinians').
7. a reference to 'fire' appearing in these naked 'bridal chamber' rites follows:
his nuptiis recte deducendis pro face et flammeo tunc credo ille ignis arcanus erumpet et universam substantiam depopulatus ipse quoque decineratis omnibus in nihilum finietur et nulla iam fabula. [5] sed ne ego temerarius qui tantum sacramentum etiam inludendo prodiderim.
In place of the usual torch and veil I imagine that famous mysterious fire will blaze out to solemnize the wedding, and will devastate the entire universe, then be reduced to nothing, after it has incinerated everything. That will be the end of their myth. But I am certainly the rash onefor betraying, even in jest, such a great mystery.
When 'Mark' is compared with Anaxilaus later in AH 13 it is because of his approximating "the craftiness of the magi" - i.e. fire worshipers. While the magic trick Mark uses to dupe his followers in what follows is not fire related In the parallel section of the Anonymous Treatise which mentions Anaxilaus his use of fire and water is specifically referenced:
And some of them try to argue that they only administer a sound and perfect, not as we, a mutilated and curtailed baptism, which they are in such wise said to designate, that immediately they have descended into the water, fire at once appears upon the water. Which if it can be effected by any trick, as several tricks of this kind are affirmed to be — of Anaxilaus — whether it is anything natural, by means of which this may happen, or whether they think that they behold this, or whether the work and magical poison of some malignant being can force fire from the water; still they declare such a deceit and artifice to be a perfect baptism, which if faithful men have been forced to receive, there will assuredly be no doubt but that they have lost that which they had.
8. the final statement here:
I should be afraid that Achamoth, who wanted to be unrecognized even by her own son, may rage; that Theletus may become angry; that Fortunata may be irritated. But why worry? I am the Demiurge's man. It will be my fate to return after death to a place where there is no giving in marriage, where we are to be further clothed rather than unclothed (II Cor. 5); where even if I were unclothed of my sex, I would be classified as an angel, neither male nor female. No one will do anything to me since he will not find me as male then.
should be self-explanatory by now. The heretical ritual features by contrast involves 'marriage' (sex), 'nakedness' and clear sexual roles (i.e. masculinity).
“Finally, from so little sleeping and so much reading, his brain dried up and he went completely out of his mind.”
― Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote