October 24th through November 22^nd

"The question is . . . which is to be master- that's all."

An encyclopedia describes a scorpion as a nocturnal arachnid that

attacks and paralyzes its prey with a poison injected by the long,

curved tail, used for both defense and destruction. Its sting is

sometimes fatal.

People often draw back visibly when someone says he or she was born in

November, murmuring, "Oh, you're a Scorpio!" either in frank fear, or

in awe and respect. Some­times there's also a giggle that obviously

refers to the legendary Scorpio passion. Scorpios are fed up with these

reactions to their Sun sign, and who can blame them? But they are

ruthless and dangerous, right?

Wrong. It depends. First, you'd better learn how to recognize the sign.

In self-defense perhaps-or because you seek a really superior human

being.

Scorpio likes to travel incognito. Thanks to his well-controlled

nature, he usually succeeds, but there are a couple of short cuts which

will make it easier to penetrate his disguise at midnight or at noon.

Look at the eyes. They can be green, blue, brown or black, but they'll

be piercing with hypnotic intensity. Most people feel nervous and ill

at ease under Scorpio's steady gaze. You'll have to break the spell and

look away first. He'll outstare you every time. It's a foolproof

identifica­tion of the Pluto personality. Scorpio eyes bore deeply into

you, mercilessly, as if they're penetrating your very souL They are.

Next, listen to him speak. The tone can be velvety soft, husky or

sharply cutting, the speech slow and measured or clipped and staccato,

but what he says will never be self-effacing. Scorpio has total ego. He

knows what he is and he knows what he is not, and nothing anyone else

thinks will change this knowledge. Insults roll right off his back, and

compliments don't move him a fraction of an inch. He needs bo one to

tell him his vices or his virtues. At best, he'll calmly agree with

your appraisal; at worst, he'll suspect your motives.

The next time you're with a group of people, bring up a discussion of

Sun signs. Mention that, with a little practice, it's fairly easy to

recognize them. When someone fastens you with a hypnotic gaze, and

states with supreme confidence, "You can't guess what I am," say

firmly, "You're a Scorpio." It may be the first time he's ever blinked.

But his stare will waver only for an instant, and he'll quickly regain

the cool composure he exhibited before you exposed his careful

disguise. If you ever come across a chattering Scorpio whose eyes

wander, chalk him up as an astrological exception as rare as the dodo

bird. There are some November people with heavy planetary influences of

restlessness in their nativities, but you're trying to leam to

recognize the typical Scorpio. You'll find very few of the nervous

kind. The nature can be modified by other natal influences, but only

slightly.

Most Pluto people have powerful physiques. The features are noticeably

heavy or sharp, and clearly drawn, and the nose is quite prominent,

sometimes beak-shaped. Ordinarily, the complexion is very pale, almost

translucent, and the brows are heavy and knit together over the bridge

of the nose. There's a crackling, electric vitality about the very

presence of a Scorpio that gives him away. As quiet as he tries to be,

such a vital force can't be hidden com­pletely. The males will have a

heavy growth of hair on the arms and legs, often with a reddish cast.

Most Scorpios have darkish hair and eyes, but don't overlook the frosty

blonde types, of which Grace Kelly and Billy Graham are excellent

examples. Frosty on the outside, that is. The poised surface calm of

the Pluto character is carefully de­signed to hide the boiling inner

nature.

Such mastery of the personality has to be envied. No matter how his

emotions are stirred, youll rarely see them reflected on Scorpio's

frozen, immobile face. These people proudly and consciously practice a

blank expression. They command their features to remain firm, and their

features obey. (They wouldn't dare disobey a Scorpio.) You'll sel­dom

see Scorpio give himself away by blushing or flushing, frowning or

grinning. Smiles are rare, but genuine. The body follows the same

orders as the face. There will rarely be any jumping, sudden starts or

nervous mannerisms.

He'll never flinch with embarrassment or swell up with pride. Reaction

is always kept at a bare minimum, because Scorpio's art is to probe

your nature and motives relent­lessly, while remaining inscrutable

himself, and he's an ex­pert at it.

It's important to remember that there is a particular type of Scorpio

who moves and speaks rather quickly, and appears to have an open,

friendly manner. Look deeply into his eyes and really think about some

of his past actions, his true behavior. He's really just playing a game

with all his happy talk. Inside, he's as tough and determined as the

more typical, poised Pluto people. Perhaps he's even a shade more

dangerous because his disguise is better, and he fools you more easily.

Start treating him as Chariie-nice-guy, who's completely harmless, and

you may be courting some trouble. Be on guard with all Scorpios. I

don't mean they're wicked. They're just not soft or naive. Some

Scorpios, realizing that their eyes expose their inner intensity, wear

sunglasses frequently, even at night.

Remark to a Scorpio that he has a great talent which will someday be

recognized, and he smoothly, casually re­plies, "Yes. I know." Ask him

if he'll do you a favor, and (he answer will be equally simple. "Yes,

of course I will," or "No, I can't do that."

If you're sensitive, don't ask his opinion or advice. You'll get the

naked, brutal truth. You asked him, hell tell you. Scorpio will not pay

a false compliment to gain a point or win an ally. It's beneath him to

flatter. When he says something nice to you, treasure it. You can be

sure it's sincere and unvarnished. If he says you have a good voice,

stop singing in the shower and grab a microphone. If he says you have a

great voice, you can safely audition for the Met. He may even

effortlessly move a few mountains out of your way to help you along.

Don't believe everything you hear about Scorpio selfishness. Instead,

listen to some of the grateful people who have been on the receiving

end of his wise counsel and generosity. Scorpio naturally at­tracts

either fiercely loyal and dedicated admirers, or en­vious and spiteful

enemies. But even the latter give him grudging respect, and you'll

notice they're careful not to challenge him openly. The examples of the

few who did are vivid and painful reminders that caution is required in

an attack against Scorpio and his planet, Pluto. Remem­ber that Pluto

rules nuclear power.

Yet, there's a haunting sweetness about these people, and often a

gentle sympathy with the sick or despairing. Scor­pio's touch can be

cool and tender, as well as hot. His Sun position gives him several

paths to follow. He can imitate the nocturnal scorpion, who will sting

others and even gong himself to death for the pure pleasure of

stinging- or he can imitate the glorious, soaring path of his symbolic

eagle, who rises above earthly limitations, and uses his strength

wisely and justly. Great generals like MacArthur, presidents like

Theodore Roosevelt and scientists like Madame Curie and Jonas Salk are

eagles. More United I    States presidents have been born under this

sign than any other.

As for the nocturnal scorpions, you may have been stung by a few

yourself. Ancient astrology refers to them as serpents. It's not hard

to guess which category the ones you meet belong to. A few Pluto people

fall somewhere between the eagle and the stinging scorpion, victims of

their own black magic. These are the gray lizards. With them, supreme

self sacrifice becomes neurotic concern about the self, and psychic

abilities become fearful appre­hensions of the lurking evils which may

strike at any moment. Forceful courage twists itself around, and

instead of seeking the ruthless revenge of the stinger scorpions-or

rising above such bitterness like the eagles-they bitterly withdraw in

tangled hatreds at each minor injury, hoping fate will punish their

enemies, almost unconsciously willing destruction without direct action.

The gray lizards fail to draw on the power of Pluto in their

natures-power that could lift them high above all the unfortunate

circumstances that surround them. In the very teeth of tragedy, this

awesome inner strength could give them a new life in the sunlight. But

they seek the dark shadows and lie dormant, a pathetic waste of the

brilliant potential of their birthright. Still, Scorpio can never slide

deep enough into the slime of bitter depression to com­pletely lose the

power of Pluto. It's never too late for the gray lizard to transform

himself into an eagle. That kind .  of deep magic belongs exclusively

to every person born I ii ^der the Sun sign of Scorpio. All they need

do is to call on it. Typical eagles have no fear. In battle they'll

lead their men into the  very face of death without a tremor. Even the

average Pluto man or woman bravely faces anything from physical pain

and poverty to ridicule and failure with a proud contempt and complete

confidence in an inner ability to overcome any blow.

Scorpio is intensely loyal to friends. "Greater love hath no man than

this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Some of them do

this literally, for friends, rela­tives or loved ones-in battle or in a

civilian crisis. The Scorpio soldier leaps instantly, instinctively, to

brave the bullets and drag his buddy to safety. The Scorpio fireman

gives his life to rescue the child in the burning building. Sometimes

it seems Pluto people unconsciously seek vio­lence deliberately, as a

challenge to their strength.

Scorpio never forgets a gift or a kindness, and it's richly rewarded.

Conversely, he also remembers an injury or an injustice, but there are

different ways of reacting. The eagle will crush the enemy so the enemy

leams never to hurt him again, win the fight, and leave the defeated to

go his own way. The deadly nocturnal scorpion will first sting, then

plan destruction, then sting again. He's not content with merely

evening the score. He must totally destroy the enemy, or at least top

him. The typical scorpion stinger will lie awake nights figuring how to

get even. If a neighbor deliberately scrapes his fender, he'll scrape

two fenders on the neighbor's car the next day, and maybe drive over

his carefully pruned hedges for good measure. These scorpions are

seldom content with forcing the shoe on the other foot to teach enemies

how it feels. They glue the sandal on with cement. However, with the

gray lizards, Pluto revenge takes the form of bitterness held inside

for years, which inevitably causes deep melancholy or actual, lingering

physical illness. Seething Scorpio re­sentment, turned inward and never

expressed, poisons with deadly certainty. Turned outward, it can create

guilt, be­cause the stinger scorpion is ashamed to harm the

defense-less, when all is said and done. Therefore, it should be turned

neither way-inward nor outward. It should be conquered by looking up

and forgetting, like the eagle- never by looking back in anger and

retaliation.

The Scorpio health picture is typical of his nature. He can destroy his

body with excesses, melancholy or hard work. But he can also built it

back at will from a critical illness. Pluto's power is that strong.

Scorpios are seldom sick, but when they are, it's usually serious. A

long rest and a change of attitude, with peaceful acceptance replacing

burning resentment, are the best cures. They can't let well enough

alone, and of course, they know more than the doctor and all the

nurses. The chief areas of attack for germs and accidents are the

reproductive organs, the nose, the throat, the heart, spine, back,

circulatory system, legs and ankles. Varicose veins and accidents in

sports are common. They should avoid fire, explosives, noxious fumes

and radiation. Yet, you'll find lots of them seek occupa­tions that

flirt with danger along these very lines. Some­times they have chronic

nose bleeds, or surgery is per­formed on the nose for some reason.

Scorpio is deeply interested in religion, intensely curious about all

phases of life and death, passionately concerned with sex and violently

drawn by a desire to reform. Yet he's also heroic, dedicated to ties of

family and love, and gently protective of children and weaker souls. He

can be a saint or a sinner. He can experiment with the darkest

mysteries this side of Hades, or he can scathingly revile sin and

decadence. Whether he emotes from a pulpit, at a business meeting, or

from a stage, his hypnotic appeal pierces through his audience,

literally transfixing or trans­figuring them. It's really rather

frightening. Even if the Scorpio has temporarily allowed bitterness,

drink or melan­choly to drag him into the Bowery, you can bet your old

copy of Dante's Inferno that the other bums will clear a path when they see him coming.

He's fiercely possessive of what he believes to be his, including

success, but his ambition is never obvious. He quietly waits for the

chance to move ahead all the while he serves, knowing he is qualified

for the position above him. He takes control slowly, but very surely.

Scorpio can do just about anything he wants to do. If he really

wants it, it's most definitely no longer a dream. The dark, magical and

mysterious power of Pluto turns desire into reality with cool, careful,

fixed intent.

Although a morbid desire to know the worst of sick and depraved

humanity can create a gray lizard who dabbles in drugs and cruelty, he

can reverse the path to a life of medicine, where drastic treatments

with the same symbols have a deep fascination for him. Although many of

the rumored sadistic surgeons are Scorpios, it's equally true that many

of the finest medical men in the entire world are inspired by Pluto to

heal both the mind and the body, diagnosing and treating with strange,

inscrutable knowledge.

Scorpio was born knowing the secrets of life and death, and with the

ability to conquer both if he chooses. But astrology constantly advises

him that "he must know that he knows." The ancient mysteries fascinate

his brilliant mind. Out of his powerful empathy with human nature grows

the outstanding detective, the composer of great musical works,

literature of depth and permanence, or the actor who projects with

unusual dramatic intensity. Some­times he lives alone, near the sea, as

strong and as silent as the tides. Sometimes he faces the public,

wearing a mask of calm reserve and control, to hide his intense desire

to win. He can be a politician or a television star, an under­taker or

a bartender, but he'll manage to top all his com­petitors. And hell do

it so effortlessly it will seem like an act of fate rather than his own

powerful will.

One of the strangest patterns in astrology is the death of a relative

in the family within either a year before or the year after the birth

of a Scorpio. And when a Scorpio dies, there will be a birth in the

family within the year be­fore or the year after. It happens at least

ninety-five percent of the time. Pluto's symbol is the triumphant

phoenix rising from its own smoldering ashes, and Scorpio per­sonifies

the resurrection from the grave. Both the gray lizards and the stinging

scorpions can become proud eagles without ever revealing the secret of

their sorcery. No use to ask-Scorpio will never tell. But he knows the

eternal truth of the circle contained in the symbolic zero.

November's thistle is dangerous, yet it grows entwined with the heavy,

languid beauty of the Scorpio honeysuckle. Have you ever inhaled that

sweet, overwhelming fragrance on a still midsummer's night? Then you

will know why there are those who brave the thistles to seek the

gentle­ness of Scorpio-exquisite gentleness. The explosive pas­sion of

Pluto has the rich, dark red wine color of the bloodstone. But Scorpio

steel is tempered in a furnace of unbearable heat until it emerges

cool, satiny smooth-and strong enough to control the nine spiritual

fires of Scorpio's wisdom.