Troilus and Cressida — Act 5, Scene 10: Another part of the plains.

Agamemnon marches with Ajax, Menelaus, Nestor, Diomedes, and other Greeks when they hear shouting offstage and stop to listen. Nestor announces the cries, and the news quickly spreads that Hector has been slain, apparently by Achilles. Diomedes repeats the rumor, and Ajax responds with unexpected respect, saying that Hector was as good a man as any. Agamemnon urges the army to continue calmly and sends someone to ask Achilles to meet them at the tent. He also takes Hector’s death as a possible sign that the gods favor the Greeks and that Troy may now be won.

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Hark! hark! what shout is that?

Peace, drums!

Achilles! Achilles! Hector's slain! Achilles.

The bruit is, Hector's slain, and by Achilles.

If it be so, yet bragless let it be;

Great Hector was a man as good as he.

March patiently along: let one be sent

To pray Achilles see us at our tent.

If in his death the gods have us befriended,

Great Troy is ours, and our sharp wars are ended.