Elissa (Dido)

Elissa, also known as Dido, is a figure from ancient mythology and literature, most famously in Virgil's "Aeneid." She was the queen of Carthage, a wealthy and powerful city in North Africa. According to the story, she fell in love with the Trojan hero Aeneas, who sought a new home after the fall of Troy. Their love was intense but tragic, as Aeneas eventually left to fulfill his destiny in Italy. Dido’s story highlights themes of love, loyalty, and tragedy, and she is remembered as a symbol of passionate, if sometimes doomed, devotion.