Cancer and Capricorn compatibility

Love and romance scores 58, level with values. The angle has the largest weight in this facet, and for this pair that is the opposition.

Ptolemy counts the opposition among the configurations “considered to be discordant”, and he gives as his reason that they join signs “of different natures and sexes”. By his own triplicity chapter, though, Capricorn’s triplicity “consists of feminine signs”, and of Cancer’s he says “the signs which compose this triplicity are feminine”. That the sex part of his reason does not fit these two signs is our observation, not his.

Alan Leo writes of Cancer people: “Their highly sensitive nature makes them feel very keenly everything that affects the other members of the family”. Capricornians, he says, “in some way or other are ever seeking to display their independence”. Family on one side, independence on the other: the pairing is ours.

Trust is the lowest facet, at 55. The elements, this pair’s best input, carry less weight here than anywhere else, and steadiness, which weighs as much as the angle, stands at half for two cardinal signs.

Alan Leo calls Cancer people “persistent and exceedingly tenacious”. Of Capricorn he writes: “The Capricornians, when individualised, are impartial, just and accurate, aiming to be precise, exact and constant, fulfilling all things with a persistent, persevering and industrious nature.” The word “persistent” appears in both, and noticing it is our doing.

Communication comes to 59, level with shared activities. The elements weigh most here, and adaptability, at half, has its largest weight of the six facets.

William Lilly gives Cancer, among its qualities, “mute and slow of Voyce”; his lines are qualities of a sign for judging a chart, not a description of people. Alan Leo says Capricornians are “ever enduring with a calm, earnest patience, and a grave reflective demeanour”. Putting a slow voice beside a grave manner is our reading.

Emotions is the highest facet, at 61. The elements have their largest weight here, and cold water with cold earth is where this pair scores best.

In Lilly’s lines, Cancer is “Watry, Cold, Moyst, Flegmatick, Feminine, Nocturnal” and Capricorn “Nocturnal, Cold, Dry, Melancholly, Earthly, Feminine”. Set side by side, which is our doing, both lines say cold, feminine and nocturnal, and moist stands against dry.

Alan Leo describes Cancer people as “very reserved and sensitive”. Of Capricornians he writes that “when fully individualised they are very contemplative, reserved, deep and profound”. Each portrait uses the word reserved; setting them together is ours.

Values scores 58, level with love and romance. The elements weigh most here, and steadiness counts at half.

Four inputs share this facet. For Cancer and Capricorn the opposition, the rulers and the steadiness of two cardinal signs each stand at their midpoint, so the cold that water and earth have in common is the only thing lifting values above the middle.

Shared activities comes to 59, level with communication. Adaptability counts here at a smaller weight, and two cardinal signs sit at its midpoint.

Ptolemy writes that “The tropical signs are two”, Cancer and Capricorn, where the Sun’s course appears to turn, bringing summer in Cancer “and winter by that which he makes in Capricorn”. His seasons are those of the northern hemisphere.

Alan Leo writes that Cancer people are characterised “as being slow but sure”. Capricornians, he writes, “make the most of all their opportunities, and being self-reliant they accomplish their ends”. Our reading is that both portraits describe people who get there in the end.