Brewer's: Phyllis and Brunetta

Rival beauties who for a long time vied with each other on equal terms. For a certain festival Phyllis procured some marvellous fabric of gold brocade to outshine her rival; but Brunetta dressed the slave who bore her train in the same material, clothing herself in simple black. Upon this crushing mortification Phyllis went home and died. (Spectator.)

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
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