Vergil's strange comparison of Messalla to the superbus Eryx in Catalepton IX, written in 42 B.C., is also readily explained if we may assume that he has recently studied the Eryx myth in preparation for the contest of Book V (11. 392-420).

Want of water forced them to put in at Eryx on the N.W. of Sicily; but the Roman quaestor there was on the look-out, and killing sixteen of the crew nearly took Marius.