Cast & Chart

Sign

Capricorn

cardinal earth. Traditional ruler Saturn.

A chart describes tendencies in a symbolic tradition. It cannot decide health, money, law, marriage or children.

In an older source

Capricorn is a very uncompromising sign.

Evangeline Adams, Astrology: Your Place in the Sun (1928)

About this entry

Winter's turning point defines this sign. Ptolemy, in Ashmand's 1822 translation, names it a turning sign for the Sun's change of course and hands it to Saturn for its cold. He then seats the exaltation of Mars here, reasoning that Mars is most southerly in this sign and his fire most intense, and places the fall of Jupiter here opposite that planet's exaltation in Cancer. Lilly 1659 adds that it is the Moon's detriment, the seat across from her house.

Adams 1928 finds a contradiction: earth is restful by nature, yet this earth sign is cardinal and therefore active, and active earth to her means avalanche. Alan Leo 1899 is far warmer and calls it the strongest of the signs, patient and thrifty without being mean.

The 1697 English Manilius names miners, coiners, goldsmiths and brokers, which suits a sign that is about working material. Alan Leo's goat climbs a mountain, and modern popular astrology swaps the mountain for a career ladder.

Where this text comes from

Statements credited to an older writer follow the scanned text named here. The modern readings are labeled as modern and come from none of these works.

Our own plain wording. Quoted lines keep the spelling of the scanned source.