Mike Fontaine

Professor

Overview

I'm a Latinist with broad interests in Ancient Rome, the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment. My latest books are on willpower and free speech, both for Princeton University Press. Previous books covered wine, swine, grief, mind, breakups, and a good laugh. Oh, and a few years ago I was parodied on Saturday Night Live (really! see it here). 

At Cornell I teach courses on Ancient Rome, the Art of Humor, Greek Mythology, Wine Culture, and Latin literature of all time periods. For business executives worldwide I teach eCornell courses on leadership from Ancient Rome and the effective use of humor in the workplace.

  • Cornell students: click here for current course syllabi.
  • Exec ed students: click here for course information.

For the 2024-2025 academic year I'm serving as Interim Director of Cornell's Program on Freedom and Free Societies. Our guest lectures aim to enhance understanding of liberty and free inquiry. Debate is encouraged and all are welcome. 

Publications

For a complete list, click here. Book reviews are here. Popular press writings are here.

 

Latest Books

10. 2025. Prudentius and Plutarch. How to Have Willpower: An Ancient Guide to Not Giving In. Princeton University Press. Sneak peek here.

  • "How to Have Willpower provides a timely glimpse into ancient advice for moving toward virtue and avoiding vice. The book offers some much-needed wisdom for our modern age of excess.”—Laurie Santos, host of The Happiness Lab podcast
  • “Self-control is on ongoing struggle for almost everyone, yet it’s one of the most important keys to success. How to Have Willpower wonderfully reveals ancient wisdom about self-control that still resonates today. Beautifully written and full of insights, this book will inspire anyone curious about how to increase self-mastery.”—Roy F. Baumeister, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength

11. 2026. Plato and Lucian. How to Speak Freely: An Ancient Guide for Modern Dissenters. Princeton University Press.

12. 2026/7. Plato. The Trial and Death of Socrates. Princeton University Press.

Latest Articles

  1. 2024. "L'arte del prologo." In: Orietta Rossini, Salvatore Monda, and Lucia Spagnuolo (eds.), Teatro: Autori attori e pubblico nell’antica Roma. Rome: L'Erma di Bretschneider, pp. 99-105.
  2. 2024. “Verba Genuina: Parole autentiche e parole “cheeky” in Plauto.” Classico Contemporaneo.
  3. In press. “How to Make a Joke Without Getting Cancelled: Plutarch’s Survival Guide to Jesting Safely.” (On some passages in Table Talk and Macrobius' Saturnalia.)
  4. In press. "Humour as a Calculated Risk." (For a Cambridge Companion in the works.)

Just for Fun

  1. 2024. How to Steal From Homer: Duplicative Language in Ancient Greece and Rome. Classical Wisdom.
  2. 2024. Roamin' Algeria. Antigone Journal.
  3. 2024. Ovid's 38 Recommendations for Getting Over a Breakup. Ideas.
  4. 2024. Three Dad Jokes from Ancient Greece for Father’s Day.
  5. 2024. E Pluribus Unum. (A stubborn mistranslation!)
  6. 2024. On the Obscenity of Ovid. Classical Wisdom.

In the news

Image of Mike Fontaine
120 Goldwin Smith Hall
mf268@cornell.edu

Departments and programs

  • Classics

Links

Keywords

Classics, Latin Literature, ancient Rome