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The Trojan hero Aeneas was given the task of founding the city of Rome, but during his travels he was stranded in Carthage, ruled by Queen Dido. The couple fell head over heels in love, leaving Aeneas torn between passion and duty. With a sorrowful heart, Aeneas departed and set a course for Rome. Dido was left behind, inconsolable. She was unable to bear her broken heart and decided to end her life. When Henry Purcell composed his opera Dido and Aeneas, he drew on this rich, emotional story. The lament When I am Laid in Earth, in which Dido says farewell to life, has become one of the absolute highlights of operatic history.