Read the excerpt below regarding the historiography of the early Roman Empire. Match each highlighted term from the passage to its precise contextual meaning.
"In evaluating the historiography of the early Roman Empire, modern scholars frequently struggle to reconcile the administrative records with the vivid, often scandalous accounts of contemporary biographers. While some historians entertain the hypothesis that the more sensational narratives were mere literary tropes, others suggest these rhetorical excesses served to check the unchecked power of the autocrats by undermining their moral authority. Nevertheless, the reliance on such polarized sources continues to color our understanding of imperial governance, rendering objective analysis a profound challenge."
- reconcileTo bring into agreement or harmony
- entertainTo consider or hold in the mind
- checkTo restrain or limit the growth or force of
- colorTo influence, distort, or bias