Note to The Merchant of Venice, 1.1.99 "would call their brothers fools"

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The Merchant of Venice,
Act 1, Scene 1, line 99.

would call their brothers fools: would speak such nonsense that those who heard them would immediately call them fools and so risk damnation. This alludes to Matthew 5:22: "whosoever shall say Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." (King James Version)