capax imperii nisi imperasset

{{Short description|Latin quote written by Tacitus}}

{{Italic title}}

File:Roman emperor Galba, Gustav III's Museum of Antiquities, Stockholm (20) (35867773310) edited (cropped).jpg]]

Capax imperii nisi imperasset is a Latin phrase written by Tacitus in Chapter 1.49 of his Histories.

Upon the death of Galba, Tacitus discusses Galba's life and character and ends Chapter 49 with this sentence: Maior privato visus dum privatus fuit, et omnium consensu capax imperii nisi imperasset ("He seemed too great to be a citizen so long as he was a citizen and all would have agreed that he was worthy to the imperial office, if he had never held it"). [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Tacitus/Histories/1A*.html#ref49 Tacitus Histories 1.49] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0079%3Abook%3D1%3Achapter%3D49 Latin text] in the Perseus Project

It has been said that the phrase is used by Tacitus to sum up Galba's character, as one who seemed to hold all the values of a good leader but failed when he became leader.{{Cite journal|title=THE EMPEROR GALBA AND THE FOUR VIRTUES: A Note on Tac. Hist. 1,49,3—4|author=Pigoń, Jakub|year=1990|journal=Rheinisches Museum für Philologie|volume=133|issue=3/4|pages=370–374|jstor = 41233784}} In modern times, the phrase has been used to describe leaders who have failed to live up to their expectations.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/07/divisive-brexit-vote-has-unleashed-something-very-ugly|title=Divisive Brexit vote has unleashed something very ugly | Brief letters|newspaper=The Guardian |date=July 7, 2017|via=www.theguardian.com}} Rab Butler said it of Anthony Eden,{{Cite book|last=Jago|first=Michael|title=Rab Butler: The Best Prime Minister We Never Had?|publisher=Biteback Publishing|year=2015|isbn=978-1849549202}} Jeremy Paxman has quoted the phrase to describe Boris Johnson becoming prime minister,{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/paxman-s-risk-assessment-cccmvh88k|title=Paxman's risk assessment|first=Patrick|last=Kidd|via=www.thetimes.co.uk}} and it has also been used to describe Gordon Brown.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3638109/Poetry-and-pain-of-the-perfect-put-down.html|title=Poetry - and pain - of the perfect put-down|first=Christopher|last=Howse|date=October 21, 2008|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}