Móði and Magni

Lore & Background

Móði and Magni are attested as Thor's sons through kennings such as 'Móði's father' and 'Magni's father' in the poems Hymiskviða, Þórsdrápa, and Hárbarðsljóð, and confirmed by Snorri Sturluson in Gylfaginning and Skáldskaparmál. According to Skáldskaparmál, Magni is the son of Thor and the jötunn Járnsaxa, while Móði is the son of Thor and an unnamed female jötunn, possibly Járnsaxa.

In the Poetic Edda poem Vafþrúðnismál, the two brothers are mentioned among the survivors of Ragnarök. In the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál, Magni plays a role in the myth of Thor's battle with the giant Hrungnir: after Thor kills Hrungnir with Mjöllnir, the giant's foot pins Thor's neck. None of the Æsir can lift it, but Magni, then three nights old, casts the foot off and boasts he would have killed the giant with his fist. Thor gives Magni the horse Gold-Mane, which Hrungnir possessed, though Odin criticizes the gift.

Reader's Guide

Móði and Magni are significant in Norse mythology primarily as survivors of Ragnarök, representing the continuation of Thor's lineage after the world's destruction and rebirth. Their names—'Wrath' and 'Strength'—along with Thor's daughter Þrúðr ('Power'), encapsulate the core attributes of their father, as noted by scholar Rudolf Simek. Magni's feat of lifting Hrungnir's foot at only three nights old parallels the myth of Odin's son Váli, who avenges Baldr at one day old, both sons of giantesses achieving great deeds in infancy. This highlights the theme of youthful strength and the role of giantess mothers in producing powerful offspring. The brothers' survival of Ragnarök underscores their importance in the mythological cycle, ensuring that Thor's legacy endures beyond the apocalyptic battle. Their limited appearances in surviving texts, however, leave much of their character and deeds unknown, with Móði having no recorded myth beyond his survival.

Did You Know?

• Móði and Magni are mentioned among the survivors of Ragnarök in the Poetic Edda poem Vafþrúðnismál.
• Magni lifted the foot of the giant Hrungnir off Thor when he was only three nights old.
• Magni's mother is the jötunn Járnsaxa; Móði's mother is an unnamed female jötunn, possibly Járnsaxa.
• John Lindow draws a parallel between Magni and Odin's son Váli, as both have a giantess mother and achieve a feat at a very young age.