Linda Goodman's Sun Signs (27 page)

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.

The next time you're on the receiving end of the Lion's proud roar, remember the Queen of Hearts who constantly shouted, “Off with his head,” while everyone's head stayed securely fastened on. Remember the cowardly lion in “The Wizard of Oz” who tenderly nursed his beautiful tail in injured dignity, anxiously searching the world over for the gift of true courage, only to find he was really the bravest one of the group when the real crisis came.

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

When Thomas Gray wrote the lines about a flower “born to blush unseen and waste its sweetness on the desert air,” he certainly wasn't describing a Leo. 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 burn 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 window. 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. Every woman in love with a Leo should get a copy of
Anna and the King of Siam
and study it well. The Siamese monarch was a typical Leo and you'll 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 into huge dimensions. 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.

He'd prefer you not be a career girl. He'd prefer it if
he
took all your time and attention. If you do work, you'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 wedding dress, but be sure it's stylish. In fact, make sure your whole wardrobe is stylish. He'll want to show you off in his own Easter Parade, in December as well as in April, so make sure not to embarrass him by appearing in public looking anything but queenly.

After you're married, mated, and deeply loved, count your rewards. Your Leo husband will be as kind and goodhearted as King Arthur, provided you let the family revolve around him. If he gets the respect he demands, he'll repay it generously. You may be told how lovely you look repeatedly, he'll probably buy you surprise gifts, 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 fits in with his kingdom where he luxuriously snoozes in the hammock. He'll 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 only one very 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 those new earrings after he lost the price of a pearl necklace 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 washing machine or a complicated sound system. 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 washing machine will hum and the sound system will surround. 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 he'll 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 expression of an exiled monarch.