I do not understand what 弱めんと means


I am facing the following sentence 彼は痛みを弱めんと試みています。which sounds, more or less,
"He's trying to lessen the distress (or the pain)". What's gonna puzzling me
is the 弱めんと form which looks like a shortening (unknown to me). Any
suggestions on what's behind it? Many thanks in advance.

