Antoninus said to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: I wish for Severus my son to rule after me, and that the city Tiberias be released from paying taxes. If I tell [the Senate] one of my wishes, they will do it, but if I ask for two of them, they will not do as I wish. [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi answered by] bringing a man, placing him on the shoulders of another man, and putting a dove in the hands of the one on top. And he said to the one on the bottom: “Tell the one on top that he should cause the dove to fly from his hands.” [Antoninus understood:] You should ask the Senate: Let Severus my son rule in my place, and say to Severus that he should release Tiberias from paying taxes!
… Antoninus would send to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi crushed gold in large sacks, covered in wheat. He would say to his servants: “Bring this wheat to Rebbi.” Rebbi said to Antoninus: “I do not need gold, as I have plenty.” He replied: “The gold should be for those who will come after you, who will give it to the last ones who come after you. And those who descend from them will bring forth this gold [to pay taxes to the Roman authorities]…