You are an AriesYou need a cause, a

You are an Aries
You need a cause, a mission, a battle in which you can trounce the enemy. The slightest whiff of a challenge and out comes that old suit of armour, kept clean and polished in case of emergency. Passionate conviction, courage, bravery, vision, a touch of fanaticism - all these things belong to the Aries soul. You just don't feel right unless there's an underdog to champion. If the world ever enters a truly utopian society, every Aries will be in a sorry state, because you live and breathe for the great battle.

Aries is a fire sign, and all fire signs tend to mythologise life and themselves. Does it sound a little fast, furious and theatrical for ordinary day-to-day living? Well, you don't really believe in "ordinary life" anyway. Admittedly, there are some rather sad Aries people wandering about who have lost their fighting spirit. This is usually because early experiences have made them frightened of the power - and consequences - of their fiercely competitive spirit. Every Aries has to learn to cope with other people's protests. What, compromise? You? Give up the chase? Never. Abandon the new idea, the new project just because someone else doesn't like it? Don't be silly.

It's not that you're unsophisticated. Some of the most polished, intellectually adroit people are born under Aries. But deep in your soul, the great medieval romantic sagas aren't over. For Aries, love means princesses rescuing the poor and disadvantaged. And noble princesses don't love meanly or half-heartedly. Sometimes, however, you love the shining ideal more than the actual person.

For you, half the joy of love is the pursuit. It might be said that, for many Ariens, love IS the pursuit, rather than the "and they lived happily ever after" part. Once that trophy is hanging on the wall, it starts looking a little unexciting. Some Ariens follow this pattern all their lives, in their relationships and in their work. It's what you can't have that's so, maddeningly desirable.

Of course you're capable of loyalty and a constant relationship. It's just that you get a little fidgety if the relationship never provides any mystery, challenge or conflict. And despite your rather insistent, I'm-right-and- that's-that attitude, you're much more likely to stick with a partner who can't be dominated.

You generally behave with honour toward friends and enemies alike. You can be generous and loyal, and you'll rarely stoop to pettiness. You can antagonise people because you can be rash and impulsive and, occasionally, stunningly insensitive. If you're really showing your fiery colours, you can also make other people envious, because you're just a bit larger than life.

You can be very, very impatient. And you don't suffer fools gladly. In fact you don't suffer gladly at all, unless it's noble suffering in the name of a cause. Like all the fire signs, you're a romantic at heart. The more prosaic aspects of love aren't very inspiring, and when things begin to lapse into routine, you start to yawn. You're capable of profound thought and considerable tenderness, but without warning you'll be leaping to your feet to stir up another crusade.

If you can't find a crisis, you'll create one. And you can be mischievous, too, goading smug people and staid situations until the whole thing bursts into a conflagration. Naturally you're out the door first, so you never get burned - well, almost never. Of course you need a steady, sensible partner, but even more, you need one who has an independent life and independent interests. In other words, a partner who refuses to be taken for granted. Mystery and challenge will always keep the heart fires burning.