The following singular inscription is to be seen carved on a tomb
situated at the entrance of the church of San Salvador, in the city of
Oviedo. The explanation is that the tomb was erected by a king named
Silo, and the inscription is so written that it can be read 270 ways
by beginning with the large S in the center. The words are Latin,
"Silo princeps fecit."
T I C E F S P E C N C E P S F E C I T
I C E F S P E C N I N C E P S F E C I
C E F S P E C N I R I N C E P S F E C
E F S P E C N I R P R I N C E P S F E
F S P E C N I R P O P R I N C E P S F
S P E C N I R P O L O P R I N C E P S
P C C N I R P O L I L O P R I N C E P
E E N I R P O L I S I L O P R I N C E
P E C N I R P O L I L O P R I N C E P
S P E C N I R P O L O P R I N C E P S
F S P E C N I R P O P R I N C E P S F
E F S P E C N I R P R I N C E P S F E
C E F S P E C N I R I N C E P S P E C
I C E F S P E C N I N C E P S F E C I
T I C E F S P E C N C E P S F E C I T
Besides this singular inscription, the letters H. S. E. S. S. T. T.
L. are also carved on the tomb, but of these no explanation is given.
Silo, Prince of Oviedo, or King of the Asturias, succeeded Aurelius
in 774, and died in 785. He was, therefore, a contemporary of
Charlemagne. No doubt the above inscription was the composition of
some ingenious and learned Spanish monk.