Tyrant, but he showed some generosity (4)
I believe the answer is:
nero
'tyrant' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Roman tyrant ' mean 'nero' so perhaps 'tyrant' could also mean 'nero')
'some generosity' is the wordplay.
'some' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (some of the parts of the word are used).
'NERO' can be found hidden inside 'generosity'.
'but he showed' acts as a link.
This may not be correct. Some or all of it may be part of another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for nero that I've seen before include "Emperor (who fiddled while Rome burned?) d. AD68" , "Roman emperor infamous for his cruelty" , "Cruel Roman emperor" , "Roman emperor, d. AD68" , "Roman emperor on the fiddle?" .)