Description
The Latin ReadHer app offers a free digital repository of Latin texts by women from antiquity to the 19th century, paired with English translations. The app was designed to solve the problem that Latin texts written by women remain largely inaccessible, whether due to limited representation in curricula, high costs of scholarly editions, or a lingering misconception that there are few female-authored Latin texts. This presentation will discuss the development of the Latin ReadHer app, from its initial conception as a response to the gaps in existing resources to the process of text selection, translation, and teaching materials. Unlike traditional print editions or online repositories, the app’s bilingual interface allows for paragraph-by-paragraph engagement, making women’s Latin more accessible to a wide range of users. This talk will explore the app’s implications for classical studies, digital humanities, archival research, and women’s history.
Dr. Skye Shirley’s love of Latin began at Lexington High School, where she studied under Dr. Fiveash and fell in love with the ancient language in his Latin class. She is proud to carry forward his commitment to equity and access in Latin studies. Skye holds a Ph.D. in Latin from University College London, where her dissertation focused on seventeenth-century Latin poetry books written by women. In addition to her research, she is the founder and director of Lupercal, an international organization dedicated to Latin by and about women. In 2025, she launched the Latin ReadHer, a bilingual reading app that brings women’s Latin texts to a wider audience. www.skyeshirley.com
The Fiveash Legacy Lecture is intended to honor and keep vital the memory and teaching legacy of Dr. Michael Fiveash, a long time and much loved Lexington High School teacher. Dr. Fiveash taught Latin, Mythology, and Classics for decades at LHS, and encouraged students in the love of literature and language; inspiring them to seek substance and depth by internalizing meaning found in the myths and wisdom storehouses of Classical literature. There are now two Lexington scholarships established in Michael’s name. The first is for students intending to study the Classics at the college level, and the second is for LHS teachers who inspire the hearts and minds of students in similar ways.
