The Zodiac --- The Sign of Scorpio the Scorpion

Scorpio / J.P. Rhea

Many astrologers consider Scorpio, the Sign of the Scorpion and the equivalent of the constellation Scorpius, to be the most powerful and also the "darkest" sign of the Zodiac. Since time immemorial, man has had a tentative relationship with the creature represented by the eighth sign, and it is reflected in the wide array of attributes they assign to natives of this sign. Scorpio is a sign of sensitivity and depth, but it is also a sign of forceful action in the mundane world. 

According to Tropical Astrology, the sun is in the sign of Scorpio from October 23 to November 21. In Sidereal Astrology, the sun is in Scorpio from November 17 to December 16. 

Mulgirtab, "The Creature With The Burning Sting" is the only Zodiac sign to be represented by five animals --- the eagle, the swan, the snake, the phoenix, and the scorpion --- and the sign is an admixture of all the qualities that ancient man recognized in those creatures. 

The Creature With The Burning Sting who crept along the ground . . .

 

 

. . . was once the noble and majestic eagle, a messenger from on high, who . . .

. . . exhibited the strength, grace and beauty of the Swan, sacred to the god Apollo . . .

. . . and delved into the deepest mysteries of being as the Serpent . . .

. . . who rose again as the flaming bright Phoenix and took to the sky once more.

In ancient Israel and in earlier Mesopotamian cultures, Scorpio was the Eagle. The eagle's vision allows it to see very far from very high in the sky, and in great detail. It is a creature of courage and nobility and deep insight. As Leo is the "King of Beasts" on Earth, Scorpio as the eagle is the "King of the Sky" and the messenger of the gods. Eagles (along with lions) are symbols of kingship (and winged lions are quite common as an ancient motif). 

Later Mesopotamian cultures transmogrified the eagle into the Swan. Swans are animal symbols of grace and beauty, but also of longevity and strength, fidelity, and the arts. The ancients believed that swans could only sing just before they died, and believed the swan song to be the most beautiful of all music.

The Snake (Serpent) is a very ancient symbol of wisdom, power, regeneration, fertility, birth, guardianship, medicine, healing, and the creative force. Stylized Serpent-Eagle-Lion totems called Mushussu were used in Akkad as boundary markers and protective amulets. Serpents are also known for guile, trickery, vengefulness, vindictiveness, and duplicity. The symbol of the good god Enki who was also the Sumerian trickster god, serpents have been adopted into Judeo-Christian-Islamic culture as symbols of evil, but that was a late development in mankind's collective subconscious. 

Phoenixes are fabulous animals, giant birds that are said to live for 500 years before immolating themselves and reemerging from the ashes to live again. The Phoenix symbolizes the renewal of life in general, as well as the sun, time, metempsychosis of the soul, consecration, resurrection, and life in Paradise. 

Mythologically, the Scorpion is related to the Serpent as a symbol of power. Like serpents, scorpions were seen as a blend of positive and negative attributes including healing, regeneration, reincarnation and death. The Epic of Gilgamesh tells us that, "The scorpion is a constant reminder that death walks with us. We should always remember that we are in a limnal state -- in the process of crossing a threshold," which may be why ancient people affixed scorpion totems to their door lintels --- this may be the ancient origin of the Jewish mezuzah. Scorpions were also associated with the Hebrew tribe as Dan, as the group's totem. Later, Christian theologians applied the scorpion symbol to the Jewish people as a whole, as a symbol of perfidy, utterly forgetting the creature's ancient meaning. The Scorpion Cult reached its end around the time that Rome fell, and the scorpion became as feared and derided as the snake. 

Given this complex history, it is no wonder that Scorpios are complex people who are both attractive to others and yet inspire a little uncertainty --- even a little fear. 

In terms of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, the Representational Person of the Zodiac has come into being (Aries), established a base (Taurus), considered their situation (Gemini), allowed themselves to feel (Cancer), taken action to change their world (Leo), studied the outcome of that action (Virgo) and shared the results of that change with others (Libra). Under Scorpio they are now addressing their own wants (rather than needs), and the key words for Scorpio are "I desire" or more strongly, "I lust."

Since the great red star Antares is Cor Scorpii, "The Heart of The Scorpion" Scorpios are considered highly intelligent and thoughtful people. They are generally deep thinkers and are not at all attracted to shallowness in people or activities. They are highly imaginative people, who, like the scorpion, like to delve into things, and everything they do or learn is done or learnt once and forever. They make good researchers, surgeons, medical examiners, forensic specialists, psychoanalysts, and occultists. 

Scorpio rules the Eighth House, the House of life and death, legacy, sex, reincarnation, the occult, and secret things. Scorpios oft-times have knowledge of things most people would rather not talk about. 

Scorpio's ancient ruling planet is Mars, the rival of Antares, and they can be forceful and militant in getting what they want. Scorpio is also ruled by Pluto, the planet of darkness and mystery. Scorpio is also a Fixed Sign and a Water Sign. Fixed water is ice, and there is a cold, calculating side to Scorpios, that, when melded with their Martial forcefulness and their Plutonian mysteriousness makes them formidable indeed, either as friends or especially as enemies. They can focus their energies like a laser beam and are highly competitive people by nature. 

Crossing a Scorpio is a risky proposition. They do not trust easily to begin with, so violating their ground rules can be very unhealthy whoever you are. They can be brutal, vindictive, and even violent. In keeping with their secretive nature the focus of their anger may end up being part of a turnpike exit ramp. At the very least, they will hold a grudge forever and a day. (Personal note here: I was raised by two Scorpios, one who turned the silent treatment into an art, and the other who applied a withering glance of death and never forgot an insult. Ever.)

Scorpios are people who will stand by their principles and their promises no matter what. They know where the bodies are buried, but they'll never tell. 

Although ruled by the very Masculine Mars, Scorpio is a Feminine, "Inner" or introverted sign, but a well-aspected Scorpio is anything but retiring --- yet they are intensely private people. They are incredible sensitives who often suffer in silence. Depending on personal background, a Scorpio may feel abiding compassion for others or have undergone terrible trials in the past, and be in real emotional pain but never let anyone know. Sometimes this can make them feel contempt for others, but in a well-aspected Scorpio such experiences are catalysts for good. 

To win the trust --- or the love --- of a Scorpio is a grand achievement. When you gain that trust --- or that love --- it is a forever thing. They can be blinded by love, and so are profoundly hurt when love fails. They will do anything to rescue a love situation, sometimes even sacrificing themselves for the other person, but will walk away leaving nothing but a cold breeze behind them if they realize they've been used. When Scorpios are done with you they are done with you --- and likely you're just done. 

These people are intense and passionate. Scorpio is the sign of sex, and Scorpios are dramatic and experimental lovers. They appreciate romance, but prefer to move beyond hearts and flowers with a quickness that can astonish (or delight) other people. They are extremely seductive people; often, they are not even aware of how seductive they are being in the moment, but other people are magnetically drawn to them. As someone once said, "People can be sexy, cute, or hot, but only a Scorpio can be all three." 

Scorpio energy, which can be dark yet light, sexual yet innocent, and fiery yet cool is a puzzle to others and a puzzle they wish to solve, but Scorpios keep the answer almost always to themselves.

Famous Scorpios include Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Bill Gates, Charles Manson, Marie Curie, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Jan Vermeer, Daniel Boone, Voltaire, and Grace Kelly. 

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