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, Julius Caesar, 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.
I am also the 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.
11. 2026. Plato. How to Speak Freely: An Ancient Guide to Free Speech and Dissent. Princeton University Press.
12. 2027. Killing Socrates: Four Dialogues by Plato, with Aristophanes' Clouds. Princeton University Press.
Latest Articles
- 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.)
- In press. "Humour as a Calculated Risk." (For a Cambridge Companion in the works.)
- 2026. "Clueless Strepsiades, Clueless Scribes? Recovering Two Lost Jokes in Aristophanes’ Clouds (234, 380–81)." Electryone.
- 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.
- 2024. “Verba Genuina: Parole autentiche e parole “cheeky” in Plauto.” Classico Contemporaneo.
Just for Fun
- 2025. Caesar in the Kremlin: Vladimir Putin's Speeches in Latin. Antigone.
- 2025. What Kimmel and Colbert can learn from ancient comedians who ticked off their leaders. NPR.
- 2025. Jimmy Kimmel Ratings Over The Years: He Was No. 1 With Young Adults. Forbes.
- 2025. Scholarship, Not Ideology, Guides Western Civilization Curricula. Inside Higher Ed. (nonpaywalled here)
- 2025. Lies, Lies, and More Lies in Homer’s Odyssey. In Medias Res.
In the news
- Back to in-person work? Classics professor offers tips on office humor
- Your September 2025 reads
- Listen to the ancients: Don’t cave to peer pressure, improper requests
- Your July 2024 reads
- In a new book, prof translates ancient advice for the lovelorn
- What to read in 2022? A&S faculty weigh in
- Translation updates Cicero’s treatise on jokes as ‘weapons’
- A 500-year-old book for our time, newly translated
- Einaudi Center awards eight faculty grants
- Professor publishes Placentius’ pugnacious pig poem
- Twitter has become the modern-day Colosseum
- Living language
- Einaudi Center announces grant recipients
- Grants fund 22 Cornell teams, community partners
- Nishii, Fontaine appointed to academic leadership
- Classicist Michael Fontaine examines mental distress in humanities podcast
- A new-old look at mental distress
- Contemporary bard to present ancient Odyssey in music
- Renowned Vatican Latinist joins classics faculty
- Volume in honor of classics professor Fred Ahl released
Courses - Fall 2025
- CLASS 1615 : Introduction to Ancient Rome
- LATIN 1205 : Intermediate Latin I
- LATIN 5215 : Intermediate Latin I