In Macbeth, what is the significance of the quote by Macbeth to Banquo in act 3 in which Macbeth says, "We hear our bloody cousins are bestowed / In...

Before
's feast, he questionsabout his evening plans and attempts to quell Banquo's suspicions
regarding his involvement in King 's assassination by saying,

We hear our bloody cousins are bestowed In England and in Ireland, not confessing Their
cruel parricide, filling their hearers With strange invention (3.1.31€“34).

Since Banquo was withwhen he received the favorable prophecies from
the Three Witches, Macbeth views him as a threat and does not want Banquo informing the other
Scottish lords of their fateful meeting because it would cast suspicion on himself. Macbeth also
fears Banquo and plans on murdering him to cement and protect his legacy.

By
informing Banquo ofand's apparent treachery, he is attempting to quell Banquo's suspicions until
he has the perfect opportunity to kill him. In this quote, Macbeth is simply placing the blame
on Malcolm and Donalbain to suppress Banquo's suspicions and manipulate him into remaining close
enough, where...