Julius Caesar is shown in the Tusculum bust. It was perhaps made in his lifetime and has been dated to 50-40 BC. The bust is housed in the Museum of Antiquities in Turin, Italy. (Wikipedia, “Tusculum Portrait”)
“In my stars I am above thee; but be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ‘em.” —-Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
The Scorpio historian Thomas Macaulay (October 25, 1800) said history was the study of great men. Oft times these individuals have the Moon in Capricorn.
The Moon in Capricorn tends to make the individual cautious, reserved, prudent, and gives the native the ability to take responsibility. (Parker, The Compleat Astrologer, p. 89) This position produces ambitious, hard workers. If the Moon is afflicted, it may lend calculating tendencies to achieve power no matter what the price. (Sakoian & Acker, The Astrologer’s Handbook, p. 107-108) The natal chart should be viewed as a whole to see whether the good or bad traits are supported.
Birth dates for prominent figures in antiquity are hard to ascertain. Often there are multiple ones. Julius Caesar is an example.
Julius Caesar
Caesar was one of the great captains (military leaders) of history. In the chart I favor, he has the Sun in Cancer, the Moon in Capricorn, and Mercury in Leo. [July 12, 102 BC, Rome, Italy] That is certainly a great executive combination. He was known to be an able administrator. As an aside, his troops called him “a bald-headed old adulterer.” Julius’ Venus was conjoined with Mars in Gemini.
Caesar’s campaign against Vercingetorix and the Gauls is a classic. While he lay siege to Alesia, a relief force attacked him. He was thus sandwiched between two enemy forces but defeated them both.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte was another able administrator and general with the Moon in Capricorn. He was a Leo with Mercury there. Both signs are known for organizational ability. He centralized the government in France, instituted reforms in banking and education, supported art and science, and simplified and modernized the legal system with the Napoleonic Code. It is still in use today. (History, “Napoleon Bonaparte,” updated April 24, 2023) Napoleon fought forty-three battles and lost only five.
George Washington
George Washington, a Pisces with Mercury in Aquarius, was notably reserved. This was not only due to the placement of the Moon but also due to the fact that he had lost his teeth and wore dentures. He was self-conscious about their loss and avoided smiling. Washington was leery of those who sought power. He set the precedents of two terms in office, establishing a cabinet, recognizing Thanksgiving as a holiday, and being addressed as Mr. President. (American Battlefield Trust, “The First American President,” by Adam Zielinkski, updated July 19,2024) Washington was also concerned about entanglements with Europe and the two-party system where a demagogue might gain control.
Abraham Lincoln
A contemporary called Abraham Lincoln “the most close-mouthed man he had ever known.” William Herndon, his law partner, said his ambition was “a little engine that knew no rest.” Both traits seem to be typical for his Moon in Capricorn placement. Lincoln, an Aquarius with a stellium in Pisces, combined the humanitarian tendencies of his Sun Sign with the charitable impulses of Pisces. He frequently pardoned soldiers who ran away in battle. He called them his leg cases. Father Abraham, as the Federal troops called him, also suffered from depression. This was perhaps due to the placement of his Moon.
Otto von Bismarck
Otto von Bismarck unified Germany by starting wars with Denmark, Austria, and France to bring together thirty-nine independent German states. Called the Iron Chancellor, he was an Aries with a Mercury/Pluto conjunction in Pisces. His Moon was badly aspected hence his willingness to use conflict as a means to achieve his ends. Bismarck provoked France into declaring war in 1870. It was calamitous for her. France surrendered after the Battle of Sedan, and the ensuing peace treaty was quite harsh. Germany annexed Alsace and half of Lorraine. France was occupied until a large sum for “damages” had been paid. This was one of the principle causes of World War One, for France wanted her territory returned.
Adolf Hitler
Although Adolf Hitler can hardly be called great, like the aforementioned he was a seminal figure. He added false ideology and genocide to Prussian militarism, a most dangerous combination. Hitler’s Sun/Moon combination, the first in Taurus, the latter Capricorn, gave him ability to sway people en masse. Antisemitism had been common in Europe prior to his ascent to power in 1933.
Author’s note: I believe anyone seeking power should ask themselves these questions daily: What is one good deed I can do today? How can I help others? How can I work with those who have views different from my own? Is what I am doing humanitarian? It is too easy to go to the dark side and resort to force.