 The tension between reason and tradition is not, then, to be resolved simply by carving out, for example, separate spaces for religion on the one hand and philosophy on the other. At the same time religion itself has something important to tell us about the nature of belief. When Cotta scoffs at Balbus’ assertion, from his main speech, that the tales of gods appearing to us in human form provide evidence of their existence, Balbus responds by saying that surely ancient authority must carry some weight with Cotta. To this Cotta replies, along previous lines, that Balbus is offering ‘hearsay when what I ask for is reason’ (3.13). Balbus, as before, owes Cotta a rational defence of Stoic claims even if Cotta’s own beliefs do not, and are apparently not required to, rest on such a defence.