From the collection of Joseph Smith British Consul at Venice. 1565 Italian edition of Books XXXV - LX of Cassius Dio's Roman History, from the Cretan War, during the Third Mithridatic War in 67 BC, to the death of the Emperor Claudius in 54 AD. Translated from Ancient Greek to Latin by Guilielmus Xylander (1558) and from Latin to Italian by Francesco Baldelli (this volume).

This volume contains the bookplate of Joseph Smith, British Consul at Venice from 1774-1760. He was a patron of artists, most notably Canaletto, a collector and connoisseur, banker to the British community at Venice, and a major figure on the British Grand Tour. As well as marrying Catherine Tofts (the first English prima donna), helping to set up a printing firm in Venice, and commissioning works from Canaletto, 'Consul' Smith built up a vast library, including many early printed books. He was eventually forced to sell his collection to George III, to help himself out of financial difficulties, and it now forms a significant part of the King's Library, which functions as the centrepiece of the new British Library. He continued to buy volumes in later life, particularly contemporary literature. The arms on his bookplate are those of the Smith family of Essex and Suffolk, although he never established his right to use them.

This is the twelfth and final volume of the Anelli (series of Greek historians) of the Collana Historica dei Greci, a collection of works published by Gabriel Giolito de Ferrari and the humanist Tommaso Porcacchi whose purpose was to make available to their contemporaries the texts of ancient authors in a quality translation. Dissatisfied with the available translations, the two men turned to the translator Francesco Baldelli for the present work.

First edition thus; 4to, (21.5 x 15.5 cm); woodcut publisher's device to title, woodcut headpieces, woodcut historiated initials, some worming to front free endpaper and title, scattered light toning to leaves (mostly marginal); contemporary vellum, gilt device stamped to covers, gilt lettering to spine on a black ground, some material loss to lower spine label, some soiling and warping to boards, edges toned, corners rubbed, overall a very good copy; [84], 843, [1] pp.