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| Leo by Erté, |
In his book, Astrology published 1964, Louis MacNeice, not an astrologer, but a poet and scholar, gathered together much of interest from a variety of sources, ancient and modern. On zodiac sign Leo, through which the Sun now travels, he wrote the paragraphs below, quoting from a variety of professional astrologers. This extract was not copied and pasted from elsewhere, but copy-typed by my own fair fingers; the Mussolini illustration comes from the book; additional illustrations were added by me.
Leo the Lion
July 23 to Aug 23.
A fixed and fiery sign. With Leo, Ingrid Lind begins by picking on the apparent paradox "or contradiction...in the thought of fixed fire ". The answer, she says, lies in "molten gold", but she could also perhaps have used her cookery ingredients analogy. She goes on to contrast Leo with the first Fiery sign, Aries, who is anything but fixed. Aries is impulsive and restless; Leo, like the Sun, stays put on his throne. People born with Leo rising include Bismarck, Garibaldi, Huey Long and Picasso. Among those who had Leo as their Sun-sign were Lorenzo de Medici, Louis XIV ("le Roi Soleil"), Napoleon and Rubens.
The Sun in Leo is at his greatest strength, and it is this strength that is the essence of this sign - the strength of a fire that has now been brought under control and is harnessed to useful ends. Morrish (in his psycho-evolutionary scheme) brackets Leo with Cancer as the "fundamental positive and negative polarities underlying everything." Barbault contrasts Leo with Cancer: In Cancer the umbilical cord has not yet been cut; it is Leo who breaks out into independence.
But though independent and very full of himself, the Leo man is far from anti-social: "His ego disappears in his vocation" and he is a great worker. However passionate and ambitious he may be (with him "vouloir c'est déjà pouvoir" [translation: not sure - ? to want something and it's already done - maybe our equivalent would be "no sooner said than done".]) Barbault says, his ruler the Sun acts as a sort of internal gendarme. Not that he always obeys this gendarme. As with any other sign, the types can go wrong. One should specially beware of Saturn in Leo, a sign in which he is "in exile": This can produce people like 'Cesare Borgia.
There seems no need to stress the animal symbolism of Leo - the king of beasts etc. His 30 degrees of the Zodiac are filled with roaring. But when we step over the border between this sign and the next we perhaps hear a typewriter, or a vacuum cleaner, a secretarial voice reading the minutes, a whispered aside of criticism. We have entered territory where everything must be "just so" - floors must be swept, files must be kept, i's must be dotted and t's crossed, beds (in all senses) must be properly made.
July 23 to Aug 23.
This, then, is obviously an extravert sign; it has produced far more than its share of presidents both in the U.S.A. and in France. As to the physical characteristics of Leo men, Pearce attributes to them "a large, fair stature, broad shoulders; prominent and large eyes; hair generally light and often yellowish; oval, ruddy countenance; of a high, resolute, haughty, and ambitious temper." Varley, less flatteringly describes Leo physiognomy as "most resembling a lion, especially in the nose and retreating chin; such as the profile of King George III." Barbault distinguishes two physical types of Leo - the Herculean and the Apollonian - but they are both athletic and fine figures of men. As for Leo ladies, Barbault notes that they go in for la grande toilette [translation: the full dress. Perhaps indicating a flashy dresser?]Caption under photograph: Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) was born with Sun in Leo. The planet and the sign have similar astrological character; when combined (as in Mussolini's horoscope) they are said to lead to aggressive ambition and power seeking.
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| Leo, from drawings by Ronald Searle |
But though independent and very full of himself, the Leo man is far from anti-social: "His ego disappears in his vocation" and he is a great worker. However passionate and ambitious he may be (with him "vouloir c'est déjà pouvoir" [translation: not sure - ? to want something and it's already done - maybe our equivalent would be "no sooner said than done".]) Barbault says, his ruler the Sun acts as a sort of internal gendarme. Not that he always obeys this gendarme. As with any other sign, the types can go wrong. One should specially beware of Saturn in Leo, a sign in which he is "in exile": This can produce people like 'Cesare Borgia.
There seems no need to stress the animal symbolism of Leo - the king of beasts etc. His 30 degrees of the Zodiac are filled with roaring. But when we step over the border between this sign and the next we perhaps hear a typewriter, or a vacuum cleaner, a secretarial voice reading the minutes, a whispered aside of criticism. We have entered territory where everything must be "just so" - floors must be swept, files must be kept, i's must be dotted and t's crossed, beds (in all senses) must be properly made.
Astrologers mentioned:
André Barbault
A.J. Pearce
John Varley
Morrish (L. Furze-Morrish?)
8 comments:
I'm without my tutelage of Leo-ness currently. A Leo-Sun BFF (friends since childhood!) passed away two decades ago...another from my previous city went AWOL a couple of years ago after a humiliating bankruptcy and divorce. I've historically had one Leonine within my periphery...can't have two, as they perceive room for one only: one throne, one stage, one Leo...LOL. Admiration and adoration seem essential for keeping a Leo on retainer. The Leos I've known have always been of quick wit and very humorous, often flamboyant, and easily wounded by affronts and slights. There's an interesting fragility about them, I suppose from the need for an audience, making them servile to the requirements of their kingdom...master and servant all inclusive.
Leos completely understood "the world is a stage", "dress for success", and "put your best foot forward". They seem to completely understand imagery and camouflage. The Billy Crystal line is fitting, "It doesn't matter how you feel, it only matters how you look...and darling you look marvelous!".
My Leo friends, whether male or female, have never been accused of being tidy...leave that for the Virgos.
Watching and listening to POTUS Obama at last night's DNC was a reminder of the Leonine Sun-power. I can't say I particularly appreciate Madonna, but she also exemplifies the Leo Sun.
mike ~ Thanks for your experiences of Leo! Mine have been mixed. Some have fit the text-book pattern exactly, some haven't - those that didn't, I bet, had a good dose of Virgo, or other modifier added.
Most recent experience is with anyjazz's Leo Moon and rising.
Hmm. Not text-book style at all, though wit and humour are there in plenty. He certainly doesn't go for much audience pleasing. Dress for success? Nope - he won't do that. Oddly I might try to - rather unsuccessfuly most times, and all I have is Pluto at 00 Leo, but in 1st house (I think). Anyjazz's Sun is Aries and Pisces cuspy; also Saturn conjunct Mercury is another dampener, I reckon.
As I typed the extract in the post I thought more of Trump (Leo rising) than of Obama:
...a large, fair stature, broad shoulders; prominent and large eyes; hair generally light and often yellowish; oval, ruddy countenance; of a high, resolute, haughty, and ambitious temper."
AND that pose of Trump's, so reminiscent of Mussolini! LOL! Not funny, yet it is.
I've had some difficulty accepting Trump's natal chart or more specifically, his time of birth, which results in his 29*58' Leo Asc...for all practical purposes this is 0* Virgo and puts Virgo in his first house. I just don't see or interpret the Virgo-ness of his personality. Yes, many argue that the Regulus fixed star on his Asc explains it all. I definitely get the Leo-ness. There is some controversy regarding his time of birth, with tob possibly being 9:51 AM, which makes for a mid-Leo rising and Mars in the first house. His alleged Mars in the 12th does NOT fit his persona, whether it is in proximity of his Asc or not, it's still a 12th house Mars. Mars in the first house does fit...at least to me.
"PT quotes birth certificate found online. Since the document was evidently posted by Trump, some caution is advised even though there is no evidence that the document was altered. Previously this entry was rated "A" (from memory) and had a birth time of 9:51 AM with the following source notes: LMR quotes a private source who obtained the data from his mother, confirmed by another astrologer who said, 'He laughed, then called his mom.'"
http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Trump,_Donald
Copy of his birth certificate with tob at 10:54 AM:
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsmax/files/fd/fd6c8049-5b3e-4a00-a637-4dcc22153eb6_400_568.jpg
"Mars in 12th House
With Mars in the Twelfth House you are likely to exert your energy and initiative in secret or secluded work or some form of social or humanitarian activities. You have an inherent sympathy for, and empathy with, other people and a desire to work for the good of others. Your refined and sensitive nature is well-suited to artistic, creative and imaginative endeavour - such as religious and spiritual work, music, romantic literature or cultural projects. Energy levels can fluctuate day-to-day, much depends on your emotional state of mind. Frequent periods of quite and solitude are necessary in order to recharge your energies. On occasion you can be devious, escapist, evasive, gloomy, indolent, changeable, irresolute, indecisive and inclined towards self-deception.
Mars in 1st House
With Mars in the First House you are likely to exert your energy and initiative into personal affairs and self-expression by developing a capacity for action and personal leadership. Self-confidence and courage are gained by active participation in rugged, physical and competitive sport or other similar activity. This position of Mars tremendously increases will-power and you are likely to be motivated by the need to win and to be first in your particular field. You have the capacity to achieve much and generate enthusiasm in others, though you must be careful not to burn yourself out through over-activity. You are, in a general sense, actively searching for a strong social self-image."
http://astromatrix.org/Horoscopes/Planets-in-Houses/Mars-in-1st-House
BTW - The excerpt from astro.com, "...confirmed by another astrologer who said, 'He laughed, then called his mom.'" leads me to believe the The Donald may be savvy to the ways of astrology and sought an astrologer's advice.
Where did my penultimate comment go?
mike (again) ~ Blogger sent your comment to spam - they are supposed to have engaged a new spam filter which appears not to be working too well! Yours now reinstated!
I'd not be surprised if Donald Trump had messed with his time of birth - or even his whole chart come to that. Back in the days when he was vocal about Obama's b/c he probably read stuff on Obama's astrology. Trump being Sun Gemini he's a tricky dick and a clever one when it suits him to be...so..
He'd still have Leo rising though, as you said, and that's certainly a good fit.
Regulus on the ascendant has been my key to his personality and extreme leadership potential, but it HAS always seemed just a wee bit too convenient. Still could be correct, but we grow cynical don't we?
Agree about Mars position being more appropriate in 1st house.
Sorry to hear about your friend, but we are NOT "fragile" nor are we "easily wounded." We are the fierce and mighty LIONS of the Zodiac and it's only natural apex predator. Those that try to wound us get mauled in return.
If you're looking for emotional vulnerability, look no further than Scorpio and Capricorn. That's right. How ironic that modern astrology mistakenly tries to make us Leos seem like we're sooo emotionally vulnerable and yet they portray Scorpio and Capricorn as so emotionally strong when in fact, it's the opposite! Scorpio and Capricorn are actually the emotionally most vulnerable signs since they are the weakest placements for the Moon which rules over emotions and the inner self! Has modern astrology conveniently forgotten this basic fact? So they need to STOP portraying us Leos like attention-seeking, vulnerable show kitties and remember that we are the sign of mighty and fierce Nemean Lion who fought HERCULES himself and managed to bite off his finger. There's nothing "soft" or "fragile" about us.
Anonymous ~ Thanks for the comment - though the post is from 2016 and mike is no longer on the net, he became ill. So cannot respond to your words about his comment himself.
I'd just add that no two Sun in Leo individuals are the same. The sign in which the Sun resided as we took our first breath on planet Earth is but one facet of many to make up our personality. One Leo Sun might have a good dose of Virgo in their chart, another some Cancerian input; also Moon sign and rising sign can modify Sun sign's "effect" on personality. And, importantly...astrology ain't everything. Family background, experience, education, location - all feed in to the mix. There are so many variations and imponderables involved that Sun sign can become "just one of a crowd".
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