Dio Cassius, Roman History (Book 1):
Romulus became more harshly disposed toward the senate, and was inclined to act rather tyrannically toward it. He returned the hostages to the people of Veii of his own accord, and not with common consent, as was the common practice. When he perceived that they were irritated by this, he said a lot of harsh things, and finally told them, ‘O fathers, I did not select you so that you could rule over me, but so that I could command you.’
ὅτι ὁ ῾Ρωμύλος πρὸς τὴν γερουσίαν τραχύτερον διέκειτο καὶ τυραννικώτερον αὐτῇ προσεφέρετο, καὶ τοὺς ὁμήρους τοῖς Οὐηιένταις…… καθ’ ἑαυτὸν καὶ οὐκ ἀπὸ κοινῆς γνώμης, ὥσπερ τὰ πολλὰ ἐγίγνετο· ἀγανακτοῦντάς τε ἐπὶ τούτῳ αἰσθόμενος ἄλλα τε ἐπαχθῆ διελέχθη καὶ τέλος εἶπεν ὅτι “ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς, ὦ πατέρες, ἐξελεξάμην οὐχ ἵνα ὑμεῖς ἐμοῦ ἄρχητε, ἀλλ’ ἵνα ἐγὼ ὑμῖν ἐπιτάττοιμι.”
