THAYER. 184 THEATRE. spent in Europe stml.ying fortifications and mili- tary schools, and observing; the operations of the Allies. From 1819 to 1833 he was superin- tendent of the Military Academy at West Point, and during this time thoroiighly reorganized the institution, and made it one of the best of its kind in the world. During the following years he was employed in constructing fortifica- tions and harbor improvements around Boston and as a member of various boards until 1858, when he was granted sick leave. In March, 1863, he was commissioned colonel of engineers and shortly afterwards was brevetted brigadier- general in the Regular Army. On June 1, 1863, he was retired from active service. He gave liberally to the cause of education. He founded a free library and endowed an academy at Brain- tree, and founded ( 1 867 ) the Thayer Engineering School at Dartmouth College. THAYER, Whitney Eugene (1838-99). An American organist and composer, born in Men- don, Mass. He was favorably known, in Europe as well as America, for his musical attainments. He was for a time editor of the Orguiiist's Jour- nal and the Choir Journal, and served as the conductor of the Boston Choral Union and New England Church Musical Association. In 1881 he came to New York and was until 1888 organist of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. He was the composer of many organ pieces, part songs, and songs, but his greatest work was the Festival Cantata for soli, an 8-part chorus, and orchestra. THAYER, William Roscoe (1859—). An American author and editor. He graduated at Harvard College in 1881, and was editor of the Harvard Graduate's Magazine from its begin- ning (1892). His verse writing is comprised in The Confessions of Hermes (1884) ; Hesper, an American Drama (1888) : and Poems. Xeio and Old (1894). His most noted historical study is The Dawn of Italian Independence (1893). an excellent and useful work. He also wrote History and Customs of Harvard Vniversitu (1898) and Throne-Makers (1899), and edited The Best Elizahethan Ploys (1890). THE'.ffiTE'TUS (I.at., from Gk. efn/r;7Toc, Theaitctos). An important dialogue of Plato, discussing all the answers to the question: What is knowledge? The speakers are Socrates and the Athenian youth The.Ttetus. THE'ATINES. A Roman Catholic religious community, which plnyed, next to the .Jesuits, the most "important part in the movement for reform from within the Church in the sixteenth century. Its founders were Saint Cajetan (Gae- tano da Tiene) and Giovanni Fietro Carafia, at that time Bishop of Chieti, from the Latin title of wliose see, Theate, the Order took its name. With two other friends, they obtained a brief of Clement VII., dated June 24. 1524. formally con- stituting the new brotherhood, with the three usual vows, and with the privilege of electing their superior, who was to hold office for three years. They were all to be priests. Their first convent was opened in Rome, and Caraffa was chosen as superior. He was succeeded in 1527 by Cajetan, and the congregation began to ex- tend to the provinces. After a time, however, it was thought advisable to unite it with the somewhat analogous Order of the Somaschians (q.v.) : but this union was not of long con- tinuance, Caraffa, who was elected Pope, under the name of Paul IV., having restored the orig- inal constitution in 1555. By degrees, the The- atines extended themselves, first over Italy, and afterwards into Spain, Poland, and Germany, especially Bavaria. They did not find an en- trance into France till the following century, when a house was founded in Paris under Cardi- nal Mazarin in 1644. To their activity and zeal Ranke ascribes much of the success of the Counter-Reformation in the south of Europe. At the present time the Order numbers not more than one hundred members. There is an Order of nims bearing this name. It was founded in Naples, in 1583, by Ursula Benincasa. It never spread out of Italy and has now only a few nunneries. THEATRE (OF. theatre, Fr, theatre, from Lat. theutrum, from Gk. Oiarpov, theatre, place to view shows or plays, from dtaadai, theasthai, to view, behold, from dia, thca, view, sight). A building used for the presentation of dramatic and similar spectacles. Ancient Theatre. The theatre as a form of architecture was originated by the Greeks and naturally developed with the drama. At first it was simply the open space near the Temple of Dionysus, where the chorus danced about the altar of the god while the solitary actor, perhaps standing on the steps of the altar, carried on a dialogue with their leader. It is probable that at times the chorus of satyrs actually drew a wagon containing the actor who impersonated the god, and who naturally addressed his com- panions from this vantage ground, and it is quite possible to see in such a scene the 'car of Thespis,' with which the foiinder of tragedy is said to have traversed Attica. When tragedy became a State institution at Athens, set places for its performance were naturally provided ; one of these was the 'Orchestra' near the Agora, a circular dancing place which was surrounded by raised seats for the spectators. The other theatre was in the precinct of Dionysus Eleuthe- reus at the eastern end of the southern slope of the Acropolis, afterwards occupied by the stone theatre. The earliest Athenian theatre was simply a large circular place (hpxffr pa, orchestra, from 6/5x^M<", orcheomai. 'dance') about 75 feet in diameter near the temple. On the hill rose the seats for the spectators {Biarpov, theatron, in the strict sense) . and these were further enlarged by artificial mounds of earth, so as to form rather more than a semicircle. The orchestra was entered by two passages {TrdpoSoi, parodoi) from the sides. The nature of the ground was such that at the rear it w.as raised some dis- tance above the level of the sacred precinct, thus affording an opportunity for an underground passage, Charon's steps, by which actors could rise from the groimd in the centre of the orches- tra. There was at first no scenery or back- ground, and some neighboring house was used as dressing-room. In the centre of the orchestra might be an altar or tomb or other structure, probably of no great height. Such simple set- tings are all that seem required for the earlier plays of .'Eschylus, such as the Suppliants, Seven Against Thebes, and Pensions. Soon, how- ever, an innovation was made. A tent ((tkijh},
