THEATRE FRANC A IS

or COMEDIE FRANCAISE, Paris i an theater; dates from 1680, when Louis XIV. ordered Moliére’s company of actors to,amalgamate with those of the Thé du Marais; has produced the greatest dramas, from Moliére’s works to present, day; authors whose works are produced are allowed a fraction of the receipts; varying from a twelfth to a twenty-fourth; was destroyed by fire (1900), and rebuilt with state aid. situated on both banks of Nile, 300 eae from Cairo; founded c. 2500 B.C.; reached the height of its a eats during the years 1600-1100 B.C.; began to decline as the Delta region became more important, and finally the capital was transferred to Memphis; site is now marked by the village of Luxor, in neighberkood of which are many mag niff cent ruins of temples, tombs, and obelisks; principal temples are those at Karnak and Luxor on E. bank of Nile, and those of Rameses II. and III. ion WwW. bank. (2) 438° 19’-N., 23° 19” E.), ancient city of Beotia, Greece; was for a long time leading member of Bosotian League; supported Persians against Greeks in invasion of V. cent.; sided with Sparta against Athens in Peloponnesian War, but subsequently became rival of Sparta, whom she defeated at Leuctra, 371 B.C., thus obtaining supremacy among Gk. states; came uader domination of Macedon, 338 B.C., destroyed by Alexander, 335; subsequcatly rebuilt. Modern town has pop. of c. 3,600.