[[Miranda Green (academic)|Miranda Green]] suggests that the willow-tree that Esus hews may symbolize "the Tree of Life [...] with its associations of destruction and death in winter and rebirth in the spring".<ref name="miranda"/> She further suggests that the cranes might represent "the flight of the soul (perhaps the soul of the tree)".<ref name="miranda"/>
===In Neo-Druidism===
The 18th century Druidic revivalist [[Iolo Morganwg]] identified Esus with [[Jesus]] on the strength of the similarity of their names. He also linked them both with [[Hu Gadarn]], writing:
{{Quote|Both Hu and HUON were no doubt originally identical with the HEUS of Lactantius, and the HESUS of Lucan, described as gods of the Gauls. The similarity of the last name to IESU <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Welsh language|Welsh]]: Jesus] is obvious and striking.<ref>[[Iolo Morganwg]] (1862, ed. J. Williams Ab Ithel). ''[http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/bim1/bim1096.htm The Barddas of Iolo Morganwg],'' Vol. I.</ref>}}
This identification is still made in certain [[Neo-Druidism|Neo-Druidic]] circles. Modern scholars consider the resemblance between the names Esus and Jesus to be coincidental.
==See also==