Research Interests
Latin literature of all time periods (antiquity through Renaissance and the Enlightenment) and classical Roman, Greek, and Renaissance society. My latest work is a book about breakups and another on addiction and bullying, both for Princeton University Press. Previous books covered wine, swine, grief, mind, and a good laugh. Next up, free speech through the ages, with projects on Plato, Plutarch, Lucian, and the Enlightenment. Oh, and I was also recently parodied on Saturday Night Live (really! see it here.)
At Cornell, I teach courses on Ancient Rome, 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 (see here for more).
Appointments
Academic
- Professor of Classics, Cornell University (Assistant 2004/Associate 2010/Full 2017)
- Paideia Professor for Living Latin in Rome (2016, 2014)
- Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics, Amherst College (2003-4, three semesters)
Administrative
- Associate Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education, Cornell University (2018-2020)
- Acting Dean of the University Faculty, Cornell University (spring 2016)
- Associate Dean of the University Faculty, Cornell University (2012-6)
Advisory
- The Paideia Institute (New York and Rome) (since 2015)
- The Polis Institute (Jerusalem) (since 2018)
- Anales de Filología Clásica (Buenos Aires) (since 2015)
- Electryone (Rhodes and Alexandria) (since 2016)
- Opera Camerarii (Würzburg) (since 2017)
Lagniappe (recent past)
- Chair of the Society for Classical Studies Committee on Public Information and Media Relations (2016-8)
- Classical World, Associate Editor for Latin literature (2015-7)
- Recipient of the 2016 Thomas S. Szasz Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Cause of Civil Liberties (see here)
Education
Ph.D. 2003, Brown University, Classics. Dissertation: “The Sophisticated παρὰ προσδοκίαν [para prosdokian] in Plautus,” directed by Adele Scafuro
I took 1999-2000 off to study Latin in Rome with Reginald Foster as a lay student at the Pontifical Gregorian University, courtesy of a Rotary Club Ambassadorial scholarship. I spent summer 2001 at the American School of Classical Studies in Athens.
B.A. 1998, Millsaps College, Classics, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa
I spent spring 1997 in Rome at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies, summer 1997 in Rome at Reginald Foster’s Latin school, and summer 1996 at the U.C. Berkeley Latin workshop.
Books
Michael Fontaine 
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