So Caesar’s outright win, his admirable forgiveness of those who had fought with Pompey, and the prospect of some peace and healing were certainly a relief to the Romans. But, Plutarch says, when an unaccountable autocrat becomes a permanent fixture, and the reality of living under an unaccountable autocrat sinks in, what you have is tyranny. Tyranny could be tolerated if it was disguised; Caesar kept making it obvious.
