Aftalān is the dual of aftal, meaning powerful or stout. Salmay here concerns two water buckets, not the female personal name Salmā. Dālij is the water drawer who transfers a bucket from well to trough, and mutashaddid emphasizes strenuous strength.
The old technical vocabulary is decisive. Without the well, buckets, and water-carrying action, the physical comparison would be misread.
Opening interactive controls...
Ṭarafah: The She-Camel’s Anatomy, Similes, and Roman Arch (Verses 17–23)
Aftalān is the dual of aftal, meaning powerful or stout. Salmay here concerns two water buckets, not the female personal name Salmā. Dālij is the water drawer who transfers a bucket from well to trough, and mutashaddid emphasizes strenuous strength.
The old technical vocabulary is decisive. Without the well, buckets, and water-carrying action, the physical comparison would be misread.