The Powers That Be

[Benjamin Torbert]

Someone is asking me about this phrase, and I teach HOtEL, but I ain't no
bona fide historical linguist.

Have we antedated the phrase to ME (which was one of the hypotheses on
facbook)?

My feeling was that it's not really subjunctive, but rather durative.  It's
not that we're not sure whether these powers be.

Also, archaic forms are more likely to be preserved in archaic, set phrases.

Please advise,
BT

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