How to Tell a Joke

“Elegant… . Fontaine calls Cicero’s ‘On the Ideal Orator’ a ‘masterpiece’ and Quintilian’s ‘The Education of the Orator’ ‘a master textbook on public speaking.’ Neither is an understatement.”—Joseph Epstein, Wall Street Journal“Michael Fontaine’s lively new translation of Cicero’s ancient text on humor, How to Tell a Joke, amuses as well as instructs.”—Linda B. Glaser, Cornell Chronicle”[How to Tell a Joke] will make you happier, it will make you better read, and, I’m pretty confident, it will make you laugh.”—Ben Potter, Classical Wisdom“Wonderful translations… . [Fontaine’s] translations make the Latin very accessible to the modern reader who might not have any skill in translation at all. This modern translation also makes the language of Cicero and Quintilian come alive to the reader… .it gives you a glimpse of the Roman sense of humour, barbs, quips and the workings of extraordinary jurists in a court playing to a captive audience… . [A] wonderful book.”—Dr. LF Ivings, Journal of Classics Teaching

Michael Fontaine is professor of classics at Cornell University. His books include How to Drink: A Classical Guide to the Art of Imbibing (Princeton) and The Oxford Handbook of Greek and Roman Comedy.