The animal symbol applied to Capricorn is the goat. Unlike the dependent, creative and countrified Goat in the Chinese horoscope, the Capricornian mountain goat is a striver and a loner, an ambitious, deliberate achiever and an adorable person to know. It's true that Capricorns can be bossy and self-confident in the extreme. But probe a stiff-upper-lipped Capricorn and you'll find there lives under all that tension and apparent angularity a sentimental and warm-hearted darling.
The way to handle Capricorns is to show them from the beginning that you are as strong and self-willed as they are. And should you not feel sufficiently strong and self-willed, you'd better pick on someone your own size. Capricorns prefer competition. The Capricorn subject is always either on top of the heap or moving-slowly but certainly-toward the summit of his field. Like tall evergreens, they withstand the snows and heat, the wind and rain. Capricorns are winter people. They can hold their heads higher longer than all the others and somehow never appear to be pushing.
In general the Capricorn subject is as rigid in his body as in his high-minded principles. He may be good at games that demand corporal discipline, but in areas that call for supple smooth body movement, Capricorns are challenged. Capricorn children fall a lot. Capricorn adults are clumsy. You want to warn them, "Be careful. Watch where you're going. Take smaller steps. Slow down. Relax." It is of course impossible for Capricorn to relax. He is always on the qui vive, responsive to each new invitation to achieve.
The Capricorn loves to entertain and adores food. He receives guests with a spirit of generosity in both the welcome he offers and the fare he prepares. Often, Capricorns make fantastic chefs and know how to cook the most complicated foods. Partly, this devotion to fine cuisine comes from the Capricorn's desire to please. But mostly the attention to food native to every Capricorn soul arises from pure joy in eating. Capricorn babies rarely have feeding problems. They chow down with gusto just about anything put within their reach.
Success often comes to Capricorn because he was paying attention while everyone else was goofing off. But if, God forbid, he misses the boat -was not even goofing off and still fails-then the ordinarily well-arranged marbles inside the pretty Capricorn head begin to shift dangerously, and melancholy sets in. Capricorns hate failure.
Capricorns are very conscious of the impression they make on others. They are allergic to vulgarity and bad manners. Society judges. Others of us may say, "What do I care for society? I am a free agent." Not your social-conscious Capricorn. If only for the sake of the gallery's approbation, Capricorn will conform.
You can always count on Capricorns to come through in times of trouble or need. They are charitable to others and eager to assist those in difficulty or illness. Sometimes they are hard to reach emotionally and seem rather "pent-up" and stiff inside. But if you can break the hermetic barrier, you will be pleasantly surprised. Physical contact can be a bit on the bony side at first but the Capricorn's enthusiasm soon takes the edge off.