Study Avodah Zarah folio 10B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
The Talmud asks: But why not let him say his advice explicitly? Why did R' Yehuda HaNasi answer in such a circumspect way, which could have been interpreted incorrectly? The Talmud answers: R' Yehuda HaNasi said to himself: If I answer openly, the important Romans might hear me and will cause me anguish. The Talmud asks: But why not let him say his advice quietly? The Talmud explains: R' Yehuda HaNasi was still worried that they might hear what he had said, because it is written: “Curse not the king, no, not in your thought, and curse not the rich in your bedchamber, for a bird of the air should carry the voice” (Ecclesiastes 10:20).
The Talmud relates: Antoninus had a certain daughter whose name was Gira, who performed a prohibited action, i.e., she engaged in promiscuous sex. Antoninus sent a rocket plant [gargira] to R' Yehuda HaNasi, to allude to the fact that Gira had acted promiscuously [gar]. R' Yehuda HaNasi sent him coriander [kusbarta], which Antoninus understood as a message to kill [kos] his daughter [barta], as she was liable to receive the death penalty for her actions. Antoninus sent him leeks [karti] to say: I will be cut off [karet] if I do so. R' Yehuda HaNasi then sent him lettuce [ḥasa], i.e., Antoninus should have mercy [ḥas] on her.
כל יומא הוה (שדר) [משדר] ליה דהבא פריכא במטראתא, וחיטי אפומייהו. אמר להו: אמטיו חיטי לרבי. אמר [ליה רבי]: לא צריכנא, אית לי טובא. אמר: ליהוו למאן דבתרך, דיהבי לבתראי דאתו בתרך, ודאתי מינייהו ניפוק עלייהו.
The Talmud relates: Every day Antoninus would send to R' Yehuda HaNasi crushed gold in large sacks, with wheat in the opening of the sacks. He would say to his servants: Bring this wheat to R' Yehuda HaNasi, and they did not realize that the bags actually contained gold. R' Yehuda HaNasi said to Antoninus: I do not need gold, as I have plenty. Antoninus said: 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 the gold that I now give you, and will be able to pay taxes to the Romans from this money.