I just came across another example of that combination "at því
hyggja...at", also with a sense of intention. This one´s from
Gylfaginning, pp. 50-51 of Faulkes´ edition:

Því skal þeim bjórum braut kasta sá maðr er AT ÞVÍ vill hyggja AT
koma Ásunum at liði.

"For this reason, the man who wants to help the Æsir must throw away
those _bjórar_ (pieces of waste leather left over when making a
shoe: masc. sg. bjórr)."

Anderson: "wherefore he who wishes to render assistance to the ases
must cast these strips away."
http://www.northvegr.org/lore/prose2/016.php?
PHPSESSID=a7635c65cd7e922967271757beb07bb1

Brodeur: "therefore he who desires in his heart to come to the
Æsir's help should cast those scraps away."
http://www.northvegr.org/lore/prose/077080.php





--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, Haukur Þorgeirsson
<haukurth@...> wrote:

> "Fóru þeir þá út á skip, en at því hugði Ánn, hvar hann skyldi
> þess koma sér, at öllum þætti sér mest mein at."
>
> I think I understand this (though I wouldn't want to bet
> money on it) but it's hard to translate.
>
> Fóru þeir þá út á skip en at því hugði Ánn,
> Went they then aboard the ship and about that thought Ánn
>
> hvar hann skyldi þess koma sér
> where he should in it place himself
>
> at öllum þætti sér mest mein at.
> so that each would feel himself most harmed.
>
> 1. "Hyggja at" is a phrasal verb meaning something like "consider"

or, to

> use an English phrasal verb, "think about".
>
> 2. The mysterious "þess" must stand for "skips" in its locative

sense.

> Like in "miðskips". Or English "amidships".
>
> 3. The "at" before "öllum" I understand as "svá at".
>
> 4. The "sér" could be left out but that would slightly alter the

meaning.

> The "sér" tells us that it's each man by himself who is

inconvenienced.

>
> 5.
> Mér þykkir mein at einhverju.
> I feel harm from something.
>
> Kveðja,
> Haukur