Descriptive analysis of LEO

LEO - The Lion

July 23rd to August 23rd

This whole leo part is specially dedicated to my sweet sister...

The LEO Woman

The LEO Woman

There's one thing the Leo woman probably owns that you won't like. A scrapbook of pictures and mementos from all her old boyfriends. It's no use trying to get her to burn it, because the lioness is sentimental.

She's not a wallflower. She's a sunflower. Chances are she's ridiculously popular, and you'll have plenty of com­petition if you want her to descend to using your name for the rest of her life. Anything that sounds royal or noble or important. I hon­estly can't imagine a Leo woman marrying anybody with the name Carbunkle or Smith. It's possible. Anything is possible. But she'll probably change Smith to Smythe.

Most likely, she'll be the social leader of her group, lording it over lesser women like a queen, but with such disarming warmth and such a beautiful smile, no one really minds. Perhaps the other girls sense she was born to rule and dictate styles, customs and manners. Anyway, it wouldn't do much good to try to usurp her authority.

Nature seems to have shown some prejudice when she fashioned the lioness with enough vivacity, cleverness, grace, beauty, and just plain sex appeal for at least three women, with some left over. If you're the victim of an inferiority complex, you'd better set your sights on a bird with less brilliant feathers. Don't expect to tame her into a docile little maid who hangs on your every word. The man who expects a Leo girl to worship at his feet is living in a fool's paradise. Consider yourself lucky if she meets you halfway, respects you, is willing to be your partner and allows you to possess her emotionally. By the very act of permitting you to love her, she's practically knighted you, for heaven's sake. Seriously, you could do-a lot worse. A lioness is a lot of woman. She's rather a luxury item, not available in the bargain basement.

It pays to remember that the Leo female can act up a storm, and pretend to be as sweet and harmless as a bowl of jelly beans. She may have a voice like a whisper, gentle, courteous manners and big, soft eyes that sparkle delight­fully when she bats her lashes. A Leo female can appear to be as smooth and calm as a cool and placid lake. On guard. That's just a role she assumed because it got good reviews. Remove her as the star of your love production, cast her in the part of the understudy or second lead, and you'll soon find out just how shy and submissive she isn't. Of course, most of the Leo women to whom you pay homage will openly make it clear that they're too proud and dignified to take any nonsense. I'd just hate to see you stumble in case you get involved with the other kind of lioness, who hides hei claws, but sharpens them every day just the same.

The first step when you're courting this girl is to go prepared with gifts. It doesn't make much difference what they are, so long as they're expensive, in excellent taste, and you're dressed properly when you offer them. Then you should practice different ways of complimenting her. Please be original and creative. Phrases like "You send me, Baby," and "You're really cool, sweetheart," will get you thrown right out of the palace, back with the peasants, Vulgarity and slang both leave her ice cold. Remember, you're wooing royalty. She can't exist without flattering appreciation, but keep in mind that she admires your masculinity, and she has no desire to turn you into a hen­pecked weakling. A Leo woman couldn't love you if you weren't strong. It's just that she won't permit you to insult her with a condescending attitude. In her mind, she is definitely not the weaker sex.

Lots of Leo girls are athletic and enjoy sports, but you'd be smarter to take your lioness to the theater than to the ball park. The stage and footlights will never fail to magnetize and transfigure her. (Better buy orchestra seats. Forget the balcony.) Choose a play in which the heroine behaves the way you want her to behave that night, and your chances are better than average that she'll act the part unconsciously and never miss an inflection. After the festivities are over, don't take her to a hamburger stand and expect her to sit at the counter munching french fries because she's so much in love with you. You're better off to take her out less often to more glamorous places. She's not necessarily a gold digger; in fact, she's usually generous -she won't object to frequent Dutch dates and she'll probably shower you with almost as many gifts as you give her. But she's just plain uncomfortable in shabby sur­roundings. The poorest Leo woman in the world will manage to accumulate enough pennies to buy draperies for the windows, rings for her fingers and bells for her toes. Now and then she may go slumming, out of curiosity, but only as a spectator, aloof from the crowd. Poverty de­presses her and makes her physically ill. If you dress like a slob and offer her a shack, you haven't got a chance.

Don't blame the lioness for her occasional arrogance and vanity. It's her nature to feel herself above the common masses. People seldom resent it, because the Leo woman who's warmly loved and respected can be the kindest and most generous of females, with a womanly compassion for children and for the helpless and the forsaken. You can't really expect her to step down from a throne that's her birthright. If she's a typical Sun child, she's so gracious and dazzling that most people gladly give her credit for being out of the ordinary. Truthfully, she is. She's intelli­gent, witty, strong, and capable, yet deliciously feminine at the same time. No one in his right mind could call that common.

A little flattery will get you everywhere with your Leo lady. You've already found out it's her secret weakness. And here's another secret, if you plan to marry her:eventually, she'll tire of her gilded cage and want to roam the jungle to see what's doing with all the other cats out there. Confinement inside four walls and under one roof can soon rob her of her sparkle. Let her have her career. Shell wither on the vine if she's forced to be just a haus-frau, unless you have enough money to allow her to be a constant hostess and an extravagant home decorator.

The Leo girl usually makes a jewel of a wife. You'll sel­dom see her dressed frumpily in a tatty bathrobe, wearing curlers and wrinkle cream. Not that she skips the beauty treatments. The typical lioness will spend hours in front of the mirror and a fortune on cosmetics, but she wants you to see the results, not the strategy. There may be times when you feel you're supporting her hairdresser's entire family. Many a husband of a Leo woman finds himself pleading, "Honey, do you have to spend so much money at the beauty parlor?" But few lionesses like to do their own hair. A shampoo and set makes them feel pampered, and feeling pampered does something for every Leo.

Unless she has a Cancer, Virgo or Capricorn ascendant, you may have to watch her with charge accounts. Leos easily slip overboard when it comes to spending for fine feathers, furnishings for the home or gifts for friends. Her wardrobe can be quite extensive. She can look luscious in evening gowns, dripping with sequins and rhinestones, or low-cut, dressy outfits. But she'll probably prefer casual clothes and sportswear, if she's a typical Leo girl. She likes tailored cuts and rich materials, but not necessarily frills and ruffles. Soft cashmeres, good Italian knits and im­ported English tweeds are her favorites. Her taste is usually excellent, if a bit expensive. An occasional Leo woman will overdo and bury her sense of style in gaudy, shocking clothes, but she's an exception to the general rule of the traditional leonine exquisite flair for fashion.

You'll find her a superb hostess when you bring the boss home for dinner. He'll think you're a genius to have won her. She'll probably make a hit with his wife, too, because the lioness is popular with both men and women, and each sex gets treated to her friendly smile and her outgoing personality equally. Anyone who happens to be standing in her bright sunlight feels the warmth. Leos seldom cast a shadow.

As a mother, shell pour love on her children generously and lavish affection on them. It won't be easy for her to see their faults, but when she does, she'll be strict. Since she can't stand being taken for granted, if the children don't respect her she can pout in regal silence. Many Leo mothers have a peculiar way of spoiling the child without sparing the rod, quite a contradiction when you think about it. She may romp and play with her cubs, have long, chummy talks with them, but shell also teach them to snap to attention like soldiers, polish their manners, and be obedient to their elders. At the same time, there's a danger of providing a shade too much spending money, and giving in to requests for luxuries. In a way, you might say she treats her offspring like petted members of a royal family, deeply loved, but expected to mind their p's and q's, especially in public. She'll be fiercely proud of their accomplishments, and heaven help the outsider who at­tempts to hurt them or judge them unfairly. With all this, she won't smother the youngsters. She's too independent to hover over them every second. She'll lead her own life, keeping a watchful eye out for her cubs, from a distance. Many Leo women are working mothers, but their young­sters seldom starve for attention. The career-minded Leos usually manage to balance motherhood and a job with perfect aplomb.

There are times when she'll lose her dignity and poise and become a rollocking, playful lioness, with a flair for pure slapstick. She can roar with laughter like a healthy animal, but when the moment is gone, the satin voice and regal bearing return. No one can squelch a fresh re­mark or a rude question with as much cold contempt as a Leo female. She doesn't appreciate familiarity from stran­gers. Although she'll clown around and be surprisingly casual with intimates, outsiders are expected to keep their place.

In the area of faithfulness, the Leo woman may remind you of the old toast, "Here's to me and here's to you, and here's to love and laughter-I'll be true as long as you- not a single minute after." Enough said.

Don't be jealous of her knack for being the center of attention in a roomful of admiring males. Heads always turn when the lioness smoothly glides by. She feels it's only natural for men to pay court to her. She may encour­age masculine compliments and indulge in light, innocent flirtations, because her deep need for applause and adula­tion covers a strange fear that she's not feminine enough and she must constantly reassure herself that she's de­sirable. It doesn't mean she's not still in love with you, just because she smiles at your best friend and tells him she adores his new sports jacket. But don't try telling her best friend you like her new 나 irt. That's a whole different ball game. What's sauce for the gander is not sauce for the goose, to reverse the old nursery rhyme. If she hears you call your secretary anything much more intimate than "Miss What's-her-name," your purring kitten may scratch.

Of course, it's not fair. But if you want to be the proud possessor of all those gorgeous brilliantly-colored feathers, you have to make a few concessions. After all, owning a peacock is hardly the same thing as owning a cuckoo bird or a cooing pigeon. Humor her vanity. She'll probably be important in her own right, because few Leo women can resist competing with men for prestige, if not income. Your lioness could be anything from an actress to a surgeon.

One of my best friends and favorite Leos is a well-known New York psychiatrist. Granted, it's a career which permits her to lecture and advise (Leo's favorite pastime), but she gives her counsel with such a warm smile, sparkling eyes and deep compassion, her patients feel better just being in the same room with her. Her husband pays her all the respect and adoration she demands as her royal right, but he has a profession of his own to match hers. He's a gifted writer and poet, talents which always impress the senti­mental Leo. They share equal billing in front of the foot­lights, yet he's the man and the boss behind the scenes. A perfect success formula for taming the lioness.

And that's the key to a smooth relationship with your Leo girl. Don't let her smother you-but don't try to top her. Just paste a big, bright star on her dressing room door, and puff up your ego. You're quite a guy, you know-to have won the hand of the proud lioness. Tell me, how did you manage to do it?

　

The LEO Man

You might see this man basking in the bright sunlight, and you may find him mak­ing flowery speeches, but it won't be in the solitude of the desert. Most likely it will be on a stage or in front of a circle of adoring friends and relatives. He may waste money, but he's not about to waste his sweetness in the empty air. There will always be an audience.

There you are, in a nutshell. The secret of snaring the lion is that simple. Be his audience. Totally different from the reluctant Virgo and Aquarian males, your Leo pal will happily succumb to the throes of delicious romance, if you play your cards right, adore him, flatter him, and respect him.

Is he a flamboyant August male? Wear dark glasses and submit to his brilliant sunlight. Is he one of the gentle, quiet Leos? Don't be taken in by his sleek softness. Stroke him the wrong way and sparks will fly. Remember, he's only playing the role of the meek soul. Beneath his courte­ous manner and patient fixity are smoldering fires of proud dignity and arrogant vanity, ready to flame up and bum the pushy female silly enough to think she can rule him.

The lion will be a chivalrous and gallant suitor, tenderly protective and sentimentally affectionate. You won't need to lay much of a trap to tempt him into romantic advances. One might say Leos possess a kind of instant passion. Just add opportunity-mix well with candlelight and lush violins-and love's in bloom like the red, red rose. As a matter of fact, you can leave out the candles and music if they're not handy, and just use the first ingredient. Same thing.

If love is missing from his life, the fiery lion will simply pine away-dramatically, of course. He has to be wor­shiped or die, and you can just about take that literally. Leo males seldom spare expenses when they're courting. You'll be taken to the best restaurants, showered with per­fume and flowers, proudly escorted to the theater and you'll tie a ribbon around some pretty fantastic love letters. To tell you the truth, you'd have to have a heart made of stone to resist.

By now, you're probably thinking you've got it made.

Think again. That leonine romance won't be completely trouble free. You might take a lesson from the pampered favorites of royalty. Leo will invite you into his den and warm you at the hearth of his big heart, but the lion's lair can turn into a plush, luxurious prison. Is he jealous? The answer is "Yes," and you can spell it with big electric light bulbs. You belong to him, body, soul, and mind. He'll tell you what to wear, how to part your hair, what books to read, which friends are best for you and how to orga­nize your day better. He'll want to know why you were gone for two hours shopping when you said you'd be back in one hour, who you met on the way, what they said- and he'll even pout if you don't tell him what you're think­ing as you stare out the kitchen window while you're scrambling his eggs. After all, you could be thinking of another man. Just don't ever forget the force of his im­pulsive temper when it's aroused. Teasing him by occasional flirtations to prove to him you are still desirable is absolute folly. He knows you're desirable. He needs no proof whatsoever. Besides, your Leo man is liable to flatten your innocent masculine friends to the floor-if not put them in the hospital-when he's pushed too far.

All is not roses and honey in a love affair with a lion, and that includes the quiet pussycats along with the flashy torn cats. There's no difference in the basic nature. The Siamese monarch was a typical Leo and youll get invaluable tips from Anna's technique. First the provocative challenge to interest him, then final feminine submission after you've taught him you won't be completely devoured. Truly, her story is a must. Sleep with it under your pillow.

Be prepared to balance his great enthusiasms with calm reason and willing to soothe him as he blows up problems . The gentle Leos do this quietly, but what's the difference? Whether he roars and rages because his employees refused to obey him, or pouts on the back porch because the neighbors snubbed him the end result is identical. He needs your stability to balance his irrational pride. If you don't possess it yourself, your love may turn into a constant battle royal. You'll be breaking up and making up with such speed that your astonished friends will ask, "Where's the fire?" Where? Why, right inside your cozy lion's den. .

Don't try to be a career girl. He'll never stand for it He's your career. The lion may permit his mate to go out hunting for a few skins when the bank account gets low, but she'd better make it clear the job comes last, after him and the home nest. He won't tolerate competition from a male or an outside interest. If you're brave enough to accept these challenges, go ahead and buy your trous­seau, but be sure it's stylish. He'll want to show you off in his own Easter Parade, in December as well as in ApriL Embarrass him by appearing in public looking anything but queenly and you might miss a familiar face in the church while the choir is singing "Oh, Promise Me"-his.

After you're married, mated, and deeply loved, count your rewards. Your Leo husband will be as kind and good-hearted as King Arthur, provided you let the family re­volve around him. If he gets the respect he demands, hell repay it by pouring out generosity. You may be told how lovely you look repeatedly, he'll probably give you a large allowance, and-wonder of wonders, with his romantic dis­position-he'll be likely to remain faithful. There's always a better chance of that after marriage than when he's single, and I'll tell you why. The lion is usually too lazy to chase pretty faces, once he's found a lioness who will capably run his kingdom, while he luxuriously snoozes in the hammock. Hell play affectionately with his cubs, pro­tect his mate from all danger, and thrill her with his ambition to rise to a position of impressive superiority in his career.

You will lead an active social life with your Leo husband, as long as he gets his beauty sleep. But there will be a few nights out with the boys, and there may also be some juggling of finances, due to sudden gambling urges, or a chance investment he thought would pay off. A Leo man I know once bought ten shares in an oil well. Although he was onlv one verv minor stockholder among thousands, about twice a month, he would visit the site of the drilling and look important. When anyone asked him what he wanted, he would tell them, "I'm just checking to see how things are going with my well." The drillers treated him with great respect. They thought he was a member of the Board of Directors.

Take it all in stride-there are compensations. How can he scold you for buying that expensive mink hat after he lost the price of a mink coat in a little game with the fellows or after he spent your savings at an auction on two box cars of folded cardboard cartons in assorted sizes, when he took a notion to go into the mail order business? (Then he couldn't use them because it turned out that they were stamped all over with the words "Rat Poison" and a large skull and crossbones.) Keep him away from auc­tions if you have to lock him up, because he has an irresistible urge to bid higher than anybody on anything at any time He'll be quite the check grabber in public too, cheerfully saying, "The treat's on me," with the money for the new freezer. Leo would be right at home in Texas or Las Vegas, where he would instantly be recognized as a high roller (unless his Moon or ascendant dictates econ­omy).

There's one thing about the lion you may find very handy. Almost all Leos have a marvelous knack for fixing things. It can be anything from a broken door knob or a stubborn bathroom faucet to a tape recorder or a com­plicated stereo hi-fi set. If he's a typical Leo, he won't be able to resist trying his hand at making something work when it's on the blink. If all else fails, he'll give the offending machine or whatever a resounding kick in splen­did leonine anger, and suddenly the door knob will turn, the water will spray like Niagara Falls, the tape recorder will start talking and the hi-fi will start singing. There seems to be something mechanical about this Sun sign. Lots of Leo men can take engines apart and put them back together again, hardly soiling their hands in the process. He's not the type to let a hinge hang for months un­screwed or a carpet lie on the floor untacked. A surprising number of lions are experts at making their own furniture and building an extra room on the house with no pro­fessional help. He may have his own workshop in the basement. Don't complain about a little sawdust on the floor. It keeps him contented-and home at night.

The lion is the life of most parties, but he's no fool. He wears the jester's mask to get attention, and his audiences usually sense they'd better respect him during his temporary playful spells. Regardless of appearances, there's nothing easygoing about the inner nature of your Leo man. He's far more steadfast and tenacious than he seems. He knows what he wants, and he usually gets it. He's pretty good at keeping it, too.

If you expect him to be faithful during the courtship, be sure you keep him well nourished with romance and affec­tion or his huge need for love and admiration will make him stalk all over the jungle in search of it. If your re­lationship is real and deep, he'll probably be true to you, but his eyes may wander a bit. Other than keeping him blindfolded, there's very little you can do about that. Leo appreciates beauty, so if you're the type to get jealous over an appreciative glance at another female, you'd bet­ter get tolerant fast. A Leo man whose lady love leaves him because of his flirting will be honestly hurt and as­tonished. He's entirely capable, then, of faking anything from a heart attack to a tear-stained farewell note to get you to sympathize and run back into his big, warm arms, and hell be so convincing you'll feel like a cruel monster. Unless you enjoy emotional, dramatic scenes yourself, it's much less trouble to understand him in the first place. His capers will probably be innocent and harmless anyway, if you're treating him right. Never overly sensitive to the feelings of others, in spite of their basic kindness, most Leo men are so wrapped up in themselves that they can be brutally frank and untactful. But his dazzling smile soon clears the air. The warm lion doesn't have a malicious bone in his strong, graceful body. He may blow off terrifying steam, yet malice is not a part of his make-up and he can't cope with real cruelty (unless there's an affliction in his natal chart). He will enjoy sports, but as he grows older, he will prefer to watch them from the comfort of his padded throne, while you wait on him.

Not always, but very often, there's an odd twist to Leo males. Unlike the Capricorn, who seeks to rise socially through wedlock, the lion sometimes tends to marry be­neath him. He has as much desire for social status, but he just can't resist acquiring a "subject" to whom he's superior. Sometimes he makes a wrong choice, and the shrinking violet who sat adoringly at his feet makes a surprise move to grab the sceptre away from him. When that happens, the dethroned Leo is a miserable husband who .wears the tragic compression of an exiled monarch.

It's sad. but true- that Leos seldom raise large families. Many of them have no children, are separated from them, or raist an only child. Too bad, because they make warm, wonderful fathers, perhaps somewhat too permissive be­tween sten talks about prope' behavior. Your offspring may chafe under his demands and be bored with his long lectures, bui they'll soon learn how to flatter him into sub­mission. He'11 insist on their respect and get it, but they're liable to wheedle him out of anything by the clever usage of "Yes, Sir. You're right. Sir." Therefore, the real dis­cipline may be up to you. The children may resent his ar­rogant ways. but Leo fathers are almost always remembered with affection in later years. One tip. Don't give the young­sters more attention than you give him, or you may end up with quite a lot of trouble on your hands in the form of a giant bruised ego, which will be nearly impossible to heal.

How can you size up the puzzling male Leo? Is he kindhearted or dangerous, generous or cruelly selfish? Is he really a sociable fellow who loves people? Does he gain his reputation for superiority under false pretenses, or does he, like the real lion, deserve to be called King? Obviously, by his own standards at least, he does deserve to be the Lord and Master in his love life and his career. You have to admit that he's usually highly successful in both romance and business.

Whether the Leo man is truly a king, or just a pretender to the throne, we may never know. But there are several things you do know about your own lion. He has in­satiable appetites, and he's as proud as a peacock. He has am enormous need to command and to be loved by those he rules. Remember that Leo secretly fears he may fail and be ridiculed. It's a constant inner torture, and the true source of his vanity and exaggerated dignity. Yet, when his nobility has been aroused by a great cause, he knows no fear. Only then does the lion learn that the magnificent strength and courage he's been pretending to have has really been there all along.

Your Leo may drive you wild by his antics during court­ship, but he's not at all a bad mate for a long term possi­bility. If you don't mind submerging your ego, and building your life around his, once you've tamed this man, you'll be adored and youll never be lonely again. Besides, he can fix those bathroom faucets.

How to Recognize LEO

How to Recognize LEO

Has anyone said to you lately, "Don't do me any favors," but dazzled you with an utterly gorgeous smile as he said it? You've been exposed to the big cat. Don't worry, you'll recover. What's a little scorched spot here and there? It's not at all unusual for Leo to display his arrogant pride and his sunny playfulness at the same time, which is why he gets away with murder.

Leo, the lion, rules all the other animals. Leo, the person, rules you and everybody else. (Yes, yes, I know he really doesn't. But please don't tell him. It would break his big, warm, egotistical heart.) It's best to humor him. Then he'll purr, instead of roaring and scaring you half to death. The lion alternates between being energetically gregarious and beautifully indolent, as he stifles a luxurious yawn. If you want to study the beast, hit all the bright, sparkling places around town. At least half the people you see living it up in style will be Leos. The shyer pussycats will be at home living it up. Leo hates the dark and bore­dom equally.

If you see one who blushes easily make sure you aren't getting a blush confused with a flush of pride or ego. There's more difference between a blush and a flush than a letter of the alphabet. His face may be pink because he's been dancing too hard. His cheeks may be suffused with a rosy glow because the love of his life just passed by. But his high color isn't caused by introversion or self-effacing timidity. There are no introverted Leos. There are only Leos who pretend to be introverts. That's important to remember. You may find a few lions who keep their ruling Sun dimmed and go about being strong, dignified 164 and determined quietly. Don't let that soft purr fool you. Even the gentle Leos are inwardly sold on their royal right to rule friends and family as they peek out from behind the curtains and watch for their chance on stage. If you don't believe me, just choose a quiet Leo who's pretending to be an introvert, and attack his pride. Take something away from him which he believes is rightfully his, give him orders and show him no respect. You'll hear that supposedly gentle cat roar from here to the zoo. It takes a brave soul to challenge him when he's defending his rights and his dignity. Some Leos mellow with age, but the lion never really lowers his proud head. Never.

As for the physical attributes of this Sun sign, just look around for people who resemble a lion or a lioness, with a mane of hair that sweeps back off the face, and a de­ceptively lazy look. Leos walk straight and proud, with the smooth glide of the cat. The females combine lithe grace with a hidden, quivering intensity. This last will be disguised by a soft, usually calm and steady nature. But don't forget that the lioness is always ready to pounce if she feels threatened. Her claws are sheathed, but sharp.

You'll notice a commanding air and stately bearing, as Leo looks down on all the mere mortals beneath him. Ordinarily, the movements and speech are deliberate. Leos seldom talk fast, run or even walk quickly (unless there's an Aries or Gemini ascendant or Moon, for ex­ample). You won't ignore the lion for long in a group. He'll either get the center of the stage with dramatic state­ments and action-or hell get it by pouting and sulking behind the potted palms until someone rushes over to ask what's wrong. The sign produces its share of blue eyes, but many Leos, especially the females, have dark brown eyes that are first soft and gentle, then snap and crackle with fire, often round in shape and slightly tilted at the comer. The hair is dark or reddish blonde and usually wavy, worn in a wild, careless style that upsweeps, stands out fully on the top and the sides or is sleeked down tightly, one extreme or the other, and there's a noticeable ruddy complexion.

Leos have a strange effect on people that's downright funny to watch. It's hard to stand in front of the lion with­out drawing yourself up to full stature, stomach in- shoulders back. I really don't know whether we peasants do this in imitation of the royal manner of the Leo we're facing or to gather courage for a possible lecture, for they do love to give free advice. They have a knack for telling you with a slightly superior, condescending manner ex­actly how you should manage your life.

This love of teaching is why so many Leos end up as educators, politicians and psychiatrists. The exasperating thing is that they're quite good at rationalizing things and smoothing out the wrinkles in your life. Too bad they can't manage their own affairs with as much ease and finesse. Still, this is what makes the lion so downright lovable; his honest superiority and excellent abilities, in­congruously mixed up with a terrible, transparent vulner­ability of ego. The proud, dignified cat vulnerable? Yes indeed. He's deeply wounded when you don't respect his wisdom and generosity. To subdue him, simply flatter him. Nine times out of ten, he'll turn from a roaring beast into a bashful, docile kitten, almost visibly rolling and basking in the warmth of compliments. It's this weakness which is the Waterloo for many a stem, autocratic Leo. His vanity is his Achilles' heel. Fattery acts like catnip to him, lack of respect blinds him with rage and both ex­tremes make him incapable of balanced judgment. There are some Leos who control these tendencies successfully, but they're always latent in the Sun sign and present to some degree.

Try it sometime. In the middle of receiving one of his lectures, interrupt respectfully and tell your Leo friend he looks positively magnificent in that sweater. The result will probably be an abrupt fall from dignity, as the lion blushes and says, completely disconcerted, "Really? You really think I do?" In most cases, appreciating the intellect works as well as complimenting the appearance.

Leo just can't help feeling superior and behaving dra­matically now and then. One of my children has an Au­gust-born teacher. She came home from school one day to say, "Mother, my teacher is so funny. He's awfully smart about everything, but sometimes he runs around the room and waves his arms in the air and shouts, 'I'm sur­rounded by idiots!' We always giggle, because we know he doesn't mean it." Poor lion, even the children know his roar is worse than his bite. It's only fair to remind you that you may stumble on one who has an afflicted Mars or Mercury with, say, Scorpio rising, and then the bite will be more serious, but we're speaking now of the typical cat In many ways, Leo is extremely astute. Hell seldom waste his energy trying to get water from a dry well, as Aries often does, which makes him a superb organizer and a wise distributor of duties. His commands are surprisingly effective when he tones down the dramatics, because he can be a master of the simple, straightforward speech, even if it smacks slightly of theatrics. Leo expresses ap­proval generously and openly, and can give almost em­barrassingly extravagant compliments. He's not at all bash­ful about his displeasure, either. Whatever he says, he usually means. It can soothe or bum, but it never fails to leave an impression.

Now that we find ourselves on the subject of romance, which is a pretty common place to find yourself when you're involved with the lion, either in person or on paper, we should note that you won't find many bachelors or spinsters born under this Sun sign. If you come across one, don't form a definite opinion until you've discreetly checked the closet. There's usually a paramour hiding nearby any lion's lair. He may not be married when you first meet him, but he'll be in love, or just about to be, or hell have recently broken a romantic shackle, and will be wearing a pathetic, lost look. The fiery pride of Leo causes plenty of shattered love affairs and marriages. A lion minus his mate is usually a woeful sight to behold, but when his pride has been injured by a lover or a legal mate, he can drop his sad-eyed look and become pretty fierce and wild instead. Still, there's no one who can bear more in stoic dignity, or adjust more courageously to depressing condi­tions with sheer faith and optimism when it's necessary.

Since forgiveness and sympathy of spirit are part of the big cat's inner nature, the reconciliations are about as fre­quent in Leo's emotional life as the splits, once the fire­works of outraged dignity have sputtered out and he gets lonely. He's almost continually in the throes of passion, not just with the opposite sex, but with life itself. Life without love, to both lions and shy pussycats, is like a plug without a socket. The Sun forgets to shine for them when romance dies.

These men and women never lean on others. Instead, they prefer to be leaned on. Responsibility toward the weak and helpless appeals to them. Leo may roar theatrical­ly that everyone depends on him and he's forced to carry the whole load, but don't pay a bit of attention to his complaints. He loves it. Try to relieve him of his burdens or lend a helping hand, and youTI see how quickly Leo will disdainfully refuse your help. Accepting financial aid is something he especially prefers to avoid. Though he may be broke frequently, he's always certain he'll find some way to line his pockets again soon. Very few Leos are cautious with cash. You may find an occasional one who was frightened by a bill collector at an early age, and behaves as if he's headed for debtor's prison any moment. But the typical lion is a spectacular gambler at heart, often wildly extravagant; even the rare cat who pinches pennies will dress expensively, and always look well turned out. He wants first class and luxury all the way, and he'll spend freely on fun and pleasure. Leo will give money to almost anybody. If he's asked for a loan and he's short of cash, hell often go out and borrow it from someone else before admitting that the King isn't in a position to help his 'needy subjects. That's a last resort, however, because Leos are mortified to be forced to turn to others for money, advice or encouragement. They have enough ego to supply (heir own encouragement, they're clever enough to accu­mulate their own pot of gold-and goodness knows they don't seek advice readily. One seeks advice only from those above him, and who is superior to the lion?

Leo often runs high fevers, is prone to accidents, sud­den, violent illnesses and is usually immune to chronic, lingering disease. Since they seldom do anything halfway, these people either radiate incredible vitality or else com­plain that they're not long for this world, the latter a typical reaction to lack of appreciation and starvation for affection. Leos seem to have either superbly strong hearts or some sort of weakness in the heart area. They may suffer from pains in the back and shoulders, spinal troubles, accidents to the legs or ankles, problems relating to the reproductive organs and hoarseness or sore throats. But they recuperate with vigor from sickness, and their main danger is carelessness about health or getting up too soon when illness strikes. To stay in bed and be waited on flatters the Leo vanity at first, but when he realizes he's playing the role of weak instead of strong, his spells of incapacitation are quickly conquered.

There's no inbetween with the Sun-ruled. They are either dreadfully careless and sloppy or meticulously neat and orderly. They rather enjoy gossip, and they feel hurt or left out if something is going on around them they don't understand. Leos are fixed in nature. It's hard to sway them from a set path, though they can sway others with con­vincing oratory. They accumulate only so that they can distribute to others, once they've provided themselves with a glittering throne complete with a soft, feather pillow. They can show as much ferocious energy as a steam roller, and then be as sleepily lazy as the cat, stretching out and snoozing in the sun. When they work, they work. When they play, they play. When they rest, they rest. Most lions have an impressive genius for cheerfully delegating messy and unpleasant jobs to others, while they attend to im­portant matters, like deciding who should be elected Presi­dent and how the war should be won.

Surprising himself, when a real emergency falls on Leo's strong shoulders, he'll carry it lightly and never shirk his duty, helping the defenseless, protecting the frightened (though he may be twice as frightened himself inside), cheering the melancholy and tackling his true responsibil­ities with courage. This is the inbred Leo nature, which will shine forth after the playboy phase has been tucked away with his gaudy hand-painted ties and that guitar he used to play.

Leo is a fiercely loyal friend, a just but powerful enemy, creative and original, strong and vital-whether he's a quiet or a flamboyant lion, for there are both kinds. He dresses in glorious raiment, appropriate to his colorful per­sonality. We overlook his arrogance, his sometimes in­sufferable ego, his rather ridiculous spells of vanity and laziness, because his heart, like his metal, is pure gold.

Brimming over with fun and generosity, the gay, affec­tionate lion prances in a field of poppies when his Sun is high in the sky-and the dice he throws with confidence bear the numbers one and four. Leo proudly wears a topaz for luck, then pushes it too far, but he has a true inner dignity and grace that lets him carry his misfortunes with courage. The warm, yellow rays of his cheerful hope deep­en to orange in the sunset's glow, and his nights are bright with a thousand stars.

Famous Leo Personalities

Gracie Alien, Napoleon Bonaparte, Saif ali khan, Kajol, Whitney,John Galsworthy,AlfredHitchcock,Aldous Huxley,Carl Jung,Mussolini,Ogden Nash,George Bernard Shaw.