In Act I, Scene 3, when Banquo and Macbeth happen upon the three witches, they are certainly daunted. But, after listening tothem, Macbeth is perplexed by the witches' calling him Thane of Cawdor, then King, while Banquo wonders if he has merely hallucinated.
As Macbeth and Banquo move closer to the three sisters, they tell Banquo that his sons will be kings. Banquo is confused as to whether he has really seen and talked with...
In Act I, Scene 3, when Banquo and Macbeth happen upon the three witches, they are certainly daunted. But, after listening tothem, Macbeth is perplexed by the witches' calling him Thane of Cawdor, then King, while Banquo wonders if he has merely hallucinated.
As Macbeth and Banquo move closer to the three sisters, they tell Banquo that his sons will be kings. Banquo is confused as to whether he has really seen and talked with these three sisters, or whether he has only hallucinated because he has heard them already call Macbeth king, and now they tell him his sons will be kings. After the witches disappear, Banquo asks Macbeth,
Were such things here as we do speak about?
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner? (1.2.83-85)
Macbeth tends to give credence to what the "weird [meaning Destiny-serving] sisters" since they have predicted for him that he would become Thane of Cawdor and he has. But, Banquo argues that the preternatural creatures may have told some truths in order to win them over so that they will do harm to themselves:
The instruments of darkness tell us truths.
Win us with honest trifles, to betray's
In deepest consequence. (1.3.133-135)
Still, Macbeth is not convinced. To him, fantasy and reality may be equal. At any rate, he likes the idea that chance may make him King without his having to do anything. So, he decides to think more about what he has heard, and he suggests that Banquo and he ponder what they have witnessed and later they may speak their minds to each other.
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