<Tr> <Th> Family </Th> <Td> Fleance, James I </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Quote </Th> <Td> "Or have we eaten on the insane root That takes the reason prisoner?" </Td> </Tr> <P> Lord Banquo / ˈbæŋkwoʊ /, the Thane of Lochaber, is a character in William Shakespeare's 1606 play Macbeth . In the play, he is at first an ally to Macbeth (both are generals in the King's army) and they meet the Three Witches together . After prophesying that Macbeth will become king, the witches tell Banquo that he will not be king himself, but that his descendants will be . Later, Macbeth in his lust for power sees Banquo as a threat and has him murdered; Banquo's son, Fleance, escapes . Banquo's ghost returns in a later scene, causing Macbeth to react with alarm during a public feast . </P> <P> Shakespeare borrowed the character of Banquo from Holinshed's Chronicles, a history of Britain published by Raphael Holinshed in 1587 . In Chronicles Banquo is an accomplice to Macbeth in the murder of the king, rather than a loyal subject of the king who is seen as an enemy by Macbeth . Shakespeare may have changed this aspect of his character to please King James, who was thought at the time to be a descendant of the real Banquo . Critics often interpret Banquo's role in the play as being a foil to Macbeth, resisting evil where Macbeth embraces it . Sometimes, however, his motives are unclear, and some critics question his purity . He does nothing to accuse Macbeth of murdering the king, even though he has reason to believe Macbeth is responsible . </P>

How does macbeth react to the apparition of banquo's descendants became kings