Floreat Bostona (music)

Floreat Bostona is the school song of Boston Grammar School. It is sung in Latin by staff and pupils at key school events including Charter Day and Prize Giving.

The first five verses were written in 1866 by the headmaster George Edwin Pattenden, who referred to it as "my school hymn". In 1887, to commemorate Queen Victoria's golden jubilee year, Pattenden added a special sixth verse.

Within living memory, only the first three verses have been sung at events.

Lyrics

Verse number	Latin words	Approximate English translation	English Words
1	Floreat Bostona! floreant priores Exempla qui dedere posteris: Memores quod illi fecerint, minores Vestigiis sequamur aemulis: Floreat Bostona! Ne cui secunda sit, laborandum!	Let Boston flourish! let those who went before flourish Examples which they gave to posterity: Remembering what they did, o young ones Let us follow in the footsteps of our rivals: Let Boston flourish! Lest anyone be second, we must labour!	Hail to thee, Bostona! Hail to those before us, Leaving us the legacy to do as they have done! Memory shall inspire us now to join the happy chorus, Singing the victories that "Boston boys" have won! Hail to thee, Bostona! Brighter be thy glories, as the years roll on!
2	Floreat Bostona! floreant tirones, Labore, litteris, modestia: Evadere omnes non valent Solones: At lux carebit nulla linea: Floreat Bostona! Ne cui secunda sit, laborandum!	Let Boston flourish! let the young men flourish, With labour, letters, modesty: Not all wise men are able to escape: But no line will lack light: Let Boston flourish! Lest anyone be second, we must labour!	Hail to thee, Bostona! Still in knowledge growing, Build we up, from day to day, a pure and manly youth! Great and wise all cannot be, but all may forth be showing, Greatest of all wisdom is the love of God and Truth! Hail to thee, Bostona! Brighter be thy glories, as the years roll on!
3	Floreat Bostona! floreant futuri! Nostrumque servent integrum decus, Faces easdem posteris daturi, Quas nos eundo rite tradimus, Floreat Bostona!! Ne cui secunda sit, laborandum!	May Boston flourish! may the future ones flourish! And may our glory be preserved intact, May we pass on to posterity the same torches, Which we, as we go forth, duly hand down, May Boston flourish!! Lest anyone be second, we must labour!	Hail to thee, Bostona! E'er may those succeeding Love the School, and hold it high in learning and in games! Handing on the lighted torch we hand to them, and speeding Ever to the goal of good, with bright, undying flames! Hail to thee, Bostona! Brighter be thy glories, as the years roll on!
4	Floreat Bostona! floreant magistri! Semper virilem diligentiam Præstent fideles omnium ministri, Summo Magistro dante gratiam. Floreat Bostona! Ne cui secunda sit, laborandum!	Let Boston flourish! let the masters flourish! May the faithful ministers of all always perform manly diligence With the grace of the Supreme Master. Let Boston flourish! Lest anyone be second, we must labour!	Hail to thee, Bostona! Faithful in your teaching, Masters, use all diligence, and quit yourselves like men! Working as God's husbandmen, His heavenly grace beseeching Faint not: what is sown in tears, in joy shall come again! Hail to thee, Bostona! Brighter be thy glories, as the years roll on!
5	Floreat Bostona! floreant parentes! Nostri salute et sorte prospera: Instructiores corpora atque mentes, Spe nos receptent cras domum bona. Floreat Bostona! Ne cui secunda sit, laborandum!	May Boston flourish! may our parents flourish! To our health and prosperous fortune: More educated bodies and minds, Hope that tomorrow good things will receive us home. May Boston flourish! Lest anyone be second, we must labour!	Hail to thee, Bostona! Hail to those who love us, Father, mother, dearest ones, to you be health and wealth! "Home, - sweet home!" - will greet us soon, - to-morrow's dawn above us, Best return of duty done, may we your welcome feel! Hail to thee, Bostona! Brighter be thy glories, as the years roll on!
6	Sixth verse found in the BGS Speech Day 1900 programme Floreat Bostona! floreat Regina! Felix domus sit tota regia! Qualis per undas stat silex marina, Immota semper stet Britannia! Floreat Bostona! Ne cui secunda sit, laborandum!	May Boston flourish! may the Queen flourish! May the whole royal house be happy! Like a sea-flint standing through the waves, May Britain always stand unmoved! May Boston flourish! Lest anyone be second, we must labour!

In the 1900 Speech Day programme, throughout the song, the town is referred to as "Bostonia".

Floreat Bostona Tune

Temporarily disabled

The tune for Foreat Bostona programmed as midi and converted to mp3.
The music is reproduced with thanks to David Wright

See Also

• Arthur Herbert Greenfield
• Boston Grammar School Speech Day 1937
• Boston Grammar School Speech Day 1938
• Boston Grammar School Speech Day 1939
• Boston Grammar School Speech Day 1940
• Harold Chester
• John Gledhill
• Old Bostonian Association Annual Dinner
• Opening of the Quadrangle buildings
• Speech Day 1956
• Timeline of BGS history